Known and Unknown
by Lena Strike
Summary: Natasha encounters a mysterious man during a mission & she feels that she has met her match. When he disappears, SHIELD calls her informing her that Thor's evil brother has destroyed an entire town, and Natasha is shocked to see exactly who this God of Mischief is. Movie universe. Follows The Avengers plotline and beyond. M: language, violence, smut all over everywhere. Blackfrost.
1. Chapter 1

Natasha sat in the back of the jet-black suburban, dressed in her finest, holding the sweaty hand of some Russian deputy chairman. He grumbled at her in Russian and she watched in disgust as spit flew from his mouth and onto her heels. She smiled at him but didn't say a word.

SHIELD was really running out of creativity. This was the sixth time she had posed as an escort for a mission this year alone. She was now grubby Oleg's mistress for the night, conveniently attending a black market weapons auction disguised as an annual gala.

The driver pulled up to a large mansion. The lawn was dark and the gate was littered with security for the party. The driver rolled down his window and spoke to security, presenting the man with their invitation. Then they were driving up the short distance to the house.

Natasha signed inwardly, completely and utterly bored by tonight's mission. Natasha could fuck her way out of any situation, her body could get her any information, but she was having a hard time getting anything to slip from Oleg's mouth besides spittle.

Killing him tonight would be a good deed on Natasha's part.

As she followed Oleg out of the car, Natasha's gown fell to her feet. She liked this dress. It was backless, black (her favorite), with a high slit that went almost to her crotch. Whoever the leader of this soirée turned out to be, this dress would make them reveal anything to her. She felt particularly sinister.

She was one of fourteen women present at the party, and she was the most modestly dressed one of them all, and that was saying something. Not a single wife, they were all mistresses and prostitutes, all oozing the scent of sex and self-satisfaction.

Yet, Natasha was more interested in the host of this gala, Stefano Rodobuck. He was a nobody. Though she knew who many of the customers were, she did not know who this supplier was. He was new. Wonderful, this just meant more paperwork for her.

She strolled around the party, intending to catch the eye of Rodobuck, perhaps lead him into the library or kitchen for a groping session before he would showcase his weapons stockpile to impress her. The line "there's more where that came from" sounds cheesier in Russian.

She silently made her way to the kitchens, leaving Oleg to get drunk with his buddies. Ignoring the glares she got from the staff, she grabbed a glass of champagne, locked herself in the pantry around the corner, and pulled out her phone to call SHIELD.

"Coulson."

"Phil, this is a dud."

"Hello, Agent Romanoff, not enjoying the party?"

Natasha smiled into the phone, "The dealer isn't anyone special. He's a newbie named Stefan Rodobuck. I doubt he's got any real weapons to deal."

"We have a team doing an aerial sweep right now; they're not finding any underground facilities, no heat signatures except from the party and the guards at the gate."

"So tonight was useless?"

"Well, there will be no raid tonight. Wherever this newbie keeps his stockpile, it's not his home or any warehouse within a ten mile radius. Your orders to obtain information still stand. The rest of us are pulling out. Meet you at base after the party."

"Yes, Phil."

"Have fun Natasha!"

Natasha hung up, and downed her glass. This reconnaissance mission was a waste of her time; she wasn't going to find any useful information tonight. She would have to entice Rodobuck, make him fall in love with her, and then leave him hanging. She could "accidentally" run in to him later this week, and that is when the information would pour out.

But there was still tonight to deal with.

Phil told her to have fun, so she was going to. If the team was leaving, there was no one to watch her now. She needed to get drunk, eat a bunch of expensive food, and then show off her tits to Rodobuck.

She turned her phone off and snuck back out of the pantry. Closing the door behind her, she turned around and was looking directly at a man's chest.

"Well, hello."

Natasha looked up into a pale face, at least a foot higher than hers, even in her heels. Green eyes surveyed her with amusement and wariness.

"Hello," she answered in Russian.

"Oh, my dear, from the sound of that conversation you just had, I think you know perfect English."

Natasha looked at the tall, lean man. She squared her shoulders and answered in English, "What do you want?" Her pulse quickened as adrenaline rushed through her veins. She could not believe she had just compromised herself during a miniscule case like this.

A grin spread over his face, and Natasha was struck by the wickedness she saw there, "I want nothing from you woman, I just came here to peruse the party."

"Not here to buy some rocket launchers?"

He cocked his head to the side in confusion, and then grinned again, "No. I am only here for the mischief."

"I don't recognize you."

"No, I don't think you would. My name is Loki." He was dressed in a long black overcoat, with a green scarf and black button down shirt. He looked positively delicious.

"Strange name." His eyes were almost aqua. His hair was long and black. Her fingers itched to see if it was rough or soft.

"And what are you named, spy?"

Natasha almost forgot her alias for the night, "Karalina."

He lifted his finger and ran it along her jaw line, making Natasha suck in a slow breath, "My dear spy, what is your real name?" his finger began to travel down her neck and dip low between her breasts.

She swatted away his hand and punched him in the stomach. He had crossed a line. He stepped back and she swung at his face, but he grabbed her wrist. Her other hand came up to slap him away, but he caught that one too, "So we like to fight?"

"I didn't say you could touch me."

Loki became serious, "I do not ask for anything. I always get what I want."

Shivers ran down her spine. She tried to kick him away but he pinned her thigh against the pantry door with his leg. The slit in her dress left her leg exposed. He moved both of her wrists to be shackled by his one hand, and with his free hand he once again traced a finger on her skin. The feel of his long, lithe body against hers made her temperature rise dramatically.

"I like your red hair," he whispered, "It quite suits your personality."

"I like your hair too," she said breathlessly. She was surprisingly not opposed to being accosted by this beautiful stranger. She wanted him; she wanted to stay in his custody.

Leaning in closer, his lips hesitating just a hairsbreadth away, "I've always been curious about your people."

"The Russians?"

He chuckled, his mood changing suddenly, "Yes, the _Russians. _Ha ha!"

_Was he crazy? _She thought.

"Yes, you _Russians_ have always held interest for me. I visit every so often just to examine you all. I have never crossed a spy before," his voice was like velvet.

A clattering sound from the kitchen around the corner made Natasha jump.

Loki released her and stepped away.

"We tend not to get caught," she answered.

He gave her a fleeting smile, "My dear, I think the party will be missing you," he gave a slight bow.

_What? He was backing off? _

She remembered Coulson telling her to have fun, and the next thing she knew she threw herself at Loki and fused her lips to his.

The shock lasted less than a second before he pushed her back forcefully towards the pantry door and his lips moved against hers. It was almost hostile, the way he returned the kiss.

Her fingers wound through his soft hair and she yanked his head back, breaking the kiss, and looking into his green eyes. The most bewildered expression was plastered on his face. She hated to sound like such a _girl_, but she swore there were fireworks.

"I am not going back to that party."

He chuckled low in his throat, "I can't predict you, little spy."

"Take me upstairs."

"Your wish, my command," he replied, and she felt his low voice travel over her skin like water, and he began to ravage her mouth all over again.

Without breaking the kiss, he picked her up, and Natasha felt like she was flying. A moment later a door opened and she was deposited onto a bed without care.

Natasha growled at him, making Loki laugh. She jumped up and unclipped her halter-top, pulling her dress off in a fury.

"Take the clothes off," she ordered, as she wriggled out of her thong.

He pushed her back onto the bed, "No puny _Russian_ commands me!" He grabbed her ankle and unhooked her high heel, letting it fall to the ground.

She put her naked foot on his chest, "Tonight I do. This is for me, not you, Loki."

He closed his eyes as she said his name, "Say it again, spy."

"Loki," she whispered.

He opened his eyes and smiled at her, removing her other shoe. Then, he flipped her over without warning, eliciting a grunt from Natasha. With a snap of his fingers, his clothes vanished.

"Alright, my dear, this evening shall be for you," he growled.

He kissed her up her legs, simultaneously nipping and licking her sensitive flesh. He blew a soft breath on her thighs, making her arch her back. Her muscles were well defined, but she still had curves to grab and grope. He traced his finger up her spine, and then his hand dug into her scalp pulling her head back so he could kiss her neck. Flipping onto her side, Natasha wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. He marked her neck and her breasts as she explored the subtle strength of his arms and back. It felt like there was an electrical current at her fingertips, raising goose bumps over his flesh.

"I can't say I have ever had sex in Russia," he said, slipping a finger into her wet cunt.

Natasha closed her eyes and gave a quiet mewl of approval. He was surprised at her readiness and her tightness. He pushed his thumb against her clit as a second finger joined the first. She moaned louder and he quieted her with his lips. The kiss felt like it was actually burning her.

The electricity, the fire between them grew as his fingers increased their rhythm. As one hand pleasured her, the other cupped her breast; his nails dug scratches in the delicate skin under her tits.

She growled loudly and bit his lip as she came, his fingers never stopping, prolonging her orgasm. His hand was slick with her juices, and her body shook as she finally unwound and lost control for the first time in months. She took a huge gasp or air, and Loki kissed her on the forehead. "That was just for you, my spy."

"On your hands and knees," he demanded. She did so, and then looked at him grinning at her from over her shoulder.

The wickedness she saw earlier was only the tip of the iceberg, and suddenly she was intimidated by the way he was looking at her like she was something to be dominated. She closed her eyes, overcome by the aftershocks of her orgasm.

He positioned himself behind her, the head of his penis at her opening, "Now, I won't do this until you tell me your real name."

She opened her eyes in alarm and blurted, "Natasha! My name is Natasha Romanoff!" And with that he entered her. She screamed in shock and in pleasure. She was so tight; the feeling of being stretched by him nearly sent her back over the edge.

She made some kind of incoherent snarl as she rose up to meet his thrusts. The pleasure was so overwhelming, Natasha was lost to sensation.

Loki needed to go deeper; he wanted to crawl inside her and under her skin. It may have been ages since he last bedded a woman, but this was the best sex of his long, long life. Dragging her up, he fell out with a slick pop. He pulled her to him so that she sat upon his lap. His arms tightened around her; he wanted to eliminate any and every space between them. He bit her shoulder, _hard_, and then ran his tongue over the already darkening mark. She felt his penis hit her cervix and her moan died as a gurgle in her throat as she came again, eyes rolling.

"Natasha, Natasha, Natasha," Loki repeated like a mantra as her vaginal muscles shuddered around him. After a few more thrusts, he came quietly.

Minutes passed and he still held her. She ran her fingers through his hair, their bodies dripping sweat. Natasha climbed off him, and fell to the mattress with a groan.

They dozed for what felt like hours. Loki rose, knowing he had already spent too much time on Earth; he needed to get back to Asgard.

When he finished dressing, he kissed the sleeping Natasha Romanoff on the lips.

"Until next time, my dear spy," he whispered. For he knew that with this woman, there would be a next time; he would not be able to resist her for long. He placed one last kiss on her forehead. She mumbled his name and turned away from him.


	2. Chapter 2

_I just want to say thank you to everyone who had read my story! Though it is not my first attempt at writing, it is my first fan fiction, so i appreciate you all bearing with me as I try to get my ideas down on paper (kind of). The reviews have been much appreciated, and helped motivate me to get the next chapter out! THANK YOU! _

_I hope you all know this story won't follow the Avengers and other Marvel comic books and movies precisely, but it will follow as close as possible. _

_And so we pick up where we left off…_

* * *

Natasha stirred moments later. She blinked, and sat up on the bed to take in the sight before her. The room was large and decorated in deep reds and purples. The bed she was on was covered in silks. The sheets were rumpled, but mostly undisturbed because she and Loki hadn't even bothered with crawling under them. She found her phone in her rumpled clothes, and turned it on.

It was four-thirty in the morning, and she had one missed call. She dialed her voicemail.

_"Nat! It's Clint. Where the fuck are you, girl? Its, uh, three o'clock. Coulson said he talked to you just before eleven? Call me when you're done, we're at base and some rookie bought a shit-ton of vodka!"_

There was some talking in the background, and then the message ended.

She dialed again.

"'Ello?"

"How's the vodka?"

"Natasha! Christ woman! Where the hell are you? Did you fuck that old Russian?"

Natasha began gathering her clothes, "No, I didn't. I—, " she paused, deciding that she didn't want to tell Clint exactly who she had just fucked, "I just got caught up, maybe drank a little too much champagne."

"Are you okay? Do you need backup?"

"I'm fine. I'll be back soon to rake up all your poker winnings."

Clint laughed, "Okay. Find anything useful?"

"Not a damn thing," she smiled to herself. Well, she found _someone_ useful.

* * *

Natasha sat at a SHIELD computer, running the name 'LOKI' 'LOWKEY 'LOKIE' and any other variation possible through the name databases for the third time this week. She had lost count how many times she had looked up Loki last week. Nothing. Not a damn thing. This man did not exist to SHEILD. He did not exist in Russia, England, America; he was completely invisible to the world.

Her research went from the roster of Rodobuck's party, to every citizen in the world.

She turned the computer off and folded her arms on the desk to rest her head. The green eyes and the black hair, the height, the strength, and the whole dangerous night were embedded in her mind. When she closed her eyes, she could see him hovering over her, sweat glistening his body. Every night she had woken up, swearing in frustration when she realized her dreams were just dreams. Disappointment flooded her when she figured out that it was her hands dipping into her panties, not his. The sour mood followed her everywhere, and Clint was starting to suspect _something_ had actually happened at the gala.

"Nat?"

Natasha looked up and Clint was watching her, leaning on the doorframe of the office, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Hey," she said, letting her head fall back to the desk.

"What are you doing?"

She sighed and sat back up, "Nothing."

"That bad, huh?"

She was about to answer Clint, when both of their SHIELD phones started buzzing. Clint got to his first.

"Barton." He was quiet for a moment, then, "You're shitting me," he looked at Natasha and the alarm in his face made her start to worry, "I'll load it up. I'm with Agent Romanoff now," and he hung up.

"What is it?"

Clint turned the computer Natasha was using back on, and began to type in his pass code, "There's been an extra-terrestrial attack in New Mexico. That's where Coulson and I went to investigate the satellite crash last week. Remember that crazy homeless guy I was telling you about? The one I almost took down? I didn't stay for his interrogation because Fury called me back here, but it turns out this guy was an alien."

"Extra-terrestrial?"

"Well," he said as he typed in another password, "Let's see. Demi-God named Thor. He was attacked by his brother's robot."

"WHAT?" Natasha leaned forward and began to read the file.

_Culprits from Asgard, one of the Nine Realms (Earth included, known as Midgard). Demi-God, Thor Odinson, proclaimed God of Thunder crashed landed in New Mexico where he was picked up by scientists Jane Foster, Erick Selvig, and Darcy Lewis. Thor wields magic hammer named Mjolnir. Attacked by his brother, proclaimed God of Mischief, Loki Lafeyson. Thor defeated him and has since returned to Asgard._

_Loki Lafeyson: CODE RED. Maniacal extra-terrestrial. Has magical abilities. Not present on Earth. _

_Full debriefing below. _

Natasha felt dizzy. She backed up against the wall for support; everything in the room was swimming.

That had to be him. There was no other Loki on Earth.

She laughed to herself, eliciting a death-glare from Clint. Magical aliens had just been confirmed, and she was only concerned because she had possibly had sex with one of them.

Standing up straight, she took a quiet breath and gathered herself, "Do they had pictures of these demi-gods?" she asked.

Clint typed, and a picture of a rugged, blond man appeared, "That's Thor." He typed again, and the pictures of Jane, Erik, and Darcy appeared, "There's Loki."

The face had high cheekbones, pale and flawless skin, green eyes pierced the camera that had taken the photo, and jet black hair hung neatly to his shoulders. Natasha felt her stomach flip in recognition. It was him. Why did she always fall for the bad guy?

How typical for her. Just like in Budapest when Clint was sent to kill her, she had fallen for him. He had been the bad guy, too. They had become friends and lovers, and he recruited her to SHIELD so he wouldn't have to take her life. But this man was different, because Loki wasn't just a man, he was a god. Scratch that, he was a crazed, bloodthirsty god who had flattened a whole town fighting with his brother. Her heart clenched in disappointment, there was no way she could ever see Loki again, not after all the attention he was about to get from SHIELD. From the looks of it, he was now Number One on the kill list.

She began to read over the whole report when her phone buzzed again, "Yes?"

"Romanoff, we need to speak. Do you know where Barton is?" It was Fury.

"Right in front of me."

"I imagine that you have been informed of our new neighbors."

"Reading the debriefing as we speak."

"Listen, I need you to come to the basement seven. There's something you two need to see. Our new friend Thor left us a little present."

She hung up, "Clint we have to go. Fury's got something that's not in that report."

"What? What more could there be?" he logged out of the computer.

"Basement seven," she said leading him through the hall. They went down two elevators and three security checkpoints before they were in front of Fury.

His one eye scrutinized first Clint, then her, and suddenly Natasha felt cold. This was serious. Could she really take any more news at this point?

"This is our new project," Fury opened one of the many crates stored in the basement, and a large dark blue cube was revealed to them.

"This is from Asgard," he tapped the cube, and it lit up, emitting a bright glow and faint hum, "it's called a Tessaract. It's the most efficient source of renewable energy that this planet had ever seen. Selvig thinks its potential could be even greater than running a billboard."

"Why is this top-secret?" Clint asked. Always the straight-forward one.

"SHIELD wants to see exactly what its potential is."

"Weapons."

Fury glared at Natasha, "Agent Barton and I will be escorting the Tessaract to a remote facility. Selvig is going to try to research this big damn cube."

"What about me?" Natasha asked.

"You will join us as soon as you've cleaned up that mess in Russia. Rodobuck has already dealt to three people. Your Oleg was one of them. As soon as you fix it, you come and back us up."

She nodded.

"Your team should be almost done locating Oleg's art reserves."  
"I'll leave as soon as they do."

* * *

Loki has fallen into the abyss. What seemed like years to him was only a fortnight. He had betrayed his family and his friends. He had fought with Thor, and he had lost. Now he was at the mercy of the Chitauri. He was beaten, he was abused, and his only salvation was to lead the Chitauri army to Earth.

He hadn't wanted this.

He had fallen into the Other's realm, and now his only viable option was to obey. It was either that, or die. For one who had always craved ultimate power, it was ironic to him that he had to obey to get it. He was only beginning to understand that no matter what, there would always be someone above him.

The Chitauri were smart in how they were manipulating him. When he had first arrived, the Other could not believe his luck at having the damned son of Odin at his door. They saw their opportunity, and they took it. By whispering dark threats and encouragement in his ear, they had convinced Loki that he could defeat Midgard, and gain his father's admiration. Knowing what they wanted from him, he had complied. There was no way for him to return to Asgard. Loki had literally sunk into the bottom pit of hell.

The ultimate trick is letting the enemy think they have the upper hand.

Loki wasn't stupid filth like these mongrels; he knew he wasn't going to win. Maybe the Chitauri would win Midgard, though there was slight chance they wouldn't. If Loki really wanted to rule Midgard, he could do so just by rising through their political ranks; it wasn't hard. Loki knew he wasn't going to get away with this plan. The outcome on Midgard wouldn't affect him. In every ending he would be taken back to Asgard for justice. His father would want it, and Thor would just want him home. No matter what, he would get back home.

It would look better on his part, though, if he won. Maybe he would impress Odin. Maybe not.

He sighed to himself. Loki stood with his glowing staff, waiting to be transported to the Tessaract. The plan was set in motion for him to steal the Tessaract and build the portal for the Chitauri. Earth's mortals may finally be ruled.

Suddenly, the image of Natasha Romanoff appeared in his mind. He remembered how her hair had looked fiery-red splayed on her pillow when he had left her. His chest felt heavy, but he pushed the feeling away. He had wanted to return to her, at least once, but he was so caught up in his own endeavors he had almost forgotten her. Hers was an unfortunate life to be wasted. But mortal is mortal.


	3. Chapter 3

_Thanks for the reviews everyone! They really help motivate me. Thank you SO MUCH for sticking with me. I'm feeling good about this chapter; the next will be up even sooner! Enjoy._

* * *

Natasha was tied to a rickety wooden chair, listening to Oleg boast about his purchases from Rodobuck. She was mentally taking notes as information fell from Oleg's lips with his spit. His words echoed in his vast, empty warehouse. Guns, art, and jewels glittered in a pile against the wall. Suddenly, one of his thug's phone range. Upon answering it, he gave Natasha a worried glance, "They want to talk to her," he said to Oleg.

Oleg took the phone, "Now you—" he paused. As the caller spoke to him, Oleg gave Natasha a bewildered too. It had to be SHIELD. He stepped forward, and put the phone to her ear.

"I am in the middle of an interrogation," she said into the phone, "This moron is giving me everything."

"I haven't!" Oleg muttered and he glanced at his cronies. Natasha threw him an incredulous look.

"Look, you can't pull me out of this right now."

"Natasha, Barton's been compromised," Coulson said softly.

Natasha felt her veins run cold. _Clint_.

"I'm gonna have to put you on hold," she said into the phone. Oleg began to take it from her, when she kicked him in the leg. As he fell to his knees she head-butted him, and he collapsed. His two men came for her: she kicked one in the stomach, and ducked as the other threw a sloppy punch towards her. She smashed the chair she was still tied to into the latter's back. Then she rolled to the side, the chair making a beautiful clinking sound as each leg hit the floor, and backed up into the recovering first man. She smashed his foot with the back leg of her chair, and then knocked him back. After a few more blows, she body slammed the chair onto someone, breaking it into bits. Seconds later, she had trounced all of them. Picking up her shoes, she grabbed the phone and told Phil, "Tell me everything."

"Romanoff, I need you to find Bruce Banner and bring him to us. There's a car waiting for you on the north side of the building."

"What's going on that we need Banner?" She ran outside.

"The facility that Selvig was using to study the Tessaract collapsed."

"What!" she hopped in the backseat of a SHIELD car and the driver started to speed away.

"Would you like me to send you the details?"

"No, Phil! Just tell me! Where's Clint at? Is he okay?"

Phil stayed silent. Natasha felt her throat close up, a hideous feeling in the pit of her stomach, "Phil. Where's Clint?" She whispered.

"We don't know."

"Is he alive?"

"We don't know."

Natasha took a deep breath, and took a quick glance at the driver, "Tell me everything you _do_ know," she said menacingly.

"The cube was behaving erratically for some time. Fury ordered everyone to evacuate while Selvig tried to figure out what was wrong. The place came down, but not before someone showed up."

"Who?"

"Thor's brother, Loki. He used the Tessaract as an entrance to Earth from wherever he was, and he took Selvig, Barton, and the cube. He got away. Fury almost died."

"Loki?" she took a deep breath, and she couldn't help the excitement that started to blossom in the pit of her stomach, "How did he overcome Erik and Clint?"

"He's got some type of magical staff; he used it on Selvig and Barton, and they are now under his command. Loki's controlling them."

"Oh god," she moaned into the phone. Not Clint. Please have him be okay, or at least alive.

"We're going to find him, Natasha. You bring Banner to us, and he will be able to bring us to Loki."

"And hopefully Clint."

"And Selvig," Phil added, "Hopefully. Your driver, Agent Marshall, has your next debriefing on how to find Banner. We'll send someone to finish up with Rodobuck's clients."

"It's done. They just need to be arrested and have the paperwork filled out."

"I'll take care of it for you. Fury wants you to bring Banner to the Airship."

"Tell Fury he is fucking crazy. That's the worst idea I've ever heard."

"See you soon," Phil laughed as he hung up.

Natasha slumped in the back seat of the car. Clint was being mind-controlled. She would find him and she would save him. She _would_ find him; she owed him that much.

"Here's your next case, Agent Romanoff," the agent driving handed her a manila envelope, "Where are we headed?"

Sitting back up, she broke the TOP SECRET seal and began to read the contents. After a moment she asked, "To the airport."

"Yes ma'am."

"Looks like we are headed to Calcutta today," she muttered.

* * *

Loki was standing in The Other's lair. The foul creature stood before him, hunched in his cloak. Loki watched, bored, as the large Chitauri whales swam in the desolate distance beyond.

"The Chitauri grow restless," The Other spit at him.

"Let them go at themselves," Loki said, disgusted, "I will lead them into glorious battle!"

"Battle? Against the meager might of Earth?"

"Glorious, not lengthy," Loki laughed to himself, "If your force is as formidable as you claim."

"You question us? You question _him_? He, who put the scepter in your hand, who gave ancient knowledge and new purpose when you were cast out, defeated?"

"I was a king, the rightful king of Asgard! Betrayed!" Loki screamed. He cracked his neck as he gained control of his anger. Yet, it still simmered beneath the surface.

"Your ambition is little, born of childish need. We look beyond the Earth to greater worlds the Tessaract will unveil."

"You don't have the Tessaract yet," Loki's words spewed out of his mouth, tumbling with acrid hate for the alien in from of him, "I don't threaten but until I open the doors, until your force is mine to command, you are but words," he grinned cruelly.

"You will have your war, Asgardian. If you fail, if the Tessaract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where he can't find you. You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain!"  
The Other struck Loki's face, and Loki's mind was brought back to Midgard.

Loki was covered in sweat, anger rolling off him in pungent waves. He had had enough of The Other's abuse. He felt like an insolent child when he spoke to the Chitauri leader. All he wanted was a way back to Asgard, and Midgard was just an unpleasant stop on the way home.

He sighed to himself. He was beginning to feel ill.

He tried to shrug off his mortification. Well, Midgard didn't have to be wholly unpleasant. A wicked grin spread across his face; he had a mortal to visit.

* * *

Natasha was on her bed, limbs spread out. She was dozing, slipping in and out of consciousness, and when she next opened her eyes, Loki was there with her. Lying next to her, he pulled her close and spent a long while gazing into her eyes. Natasha couldn't believe how strange his eye color was: green, blue, and aqua with flecks of black and gold. He kissed her tentatively, and Natasha responded instantly. She ran her fingers through his long hair, and her chest felt heavy and tight like she couldn't breathe.

"Have you missed me?" he asked her. Loki's tongue traced patterns on her neck and she felt him rustle with her clothes, exposing her bottom.

"You feel so real this time," she noted to herself as she stroked his cheek.

He smiled at her, like he had won a child's game, and kissed her again. He grabbed and groped as he deepened the kiss. She felt woozy with desire. She was already so close when his hand traveled to her front and two fingers glided inside her.

_So close, almost, almost_…

"Miss Romanoff, we're about to land," Marshall shook her shoulder, waking her up.

She quickly looked around, but no one was staring at her. She flushed dark crimson; once again she dreamed about Loki, the most intense dream she had had yet.

Her skin tingled. She felt antsy, and was sincerely frustrated that she had gotten so near to the edge, only to be pulled back to reality way too soon. Marshall gave her an odd look.

"Yes. Right. Landing. Real close." She laughed to herself. _Real fucking close._

"We are meeting an extensive team. SHIELD sent you a lot of backup for this."

Natasha tried to wipe away some of the wrinkles on her black dress. She needed to shower and get new clothes.

"We're going to need it, Marshall." He nodded.

A few moments later, they were on the ground. Natasha followed Agent Marshall off the plane and into the crowded gate. As she scanned the premises for the nearest exit she glimpsed a pale face with black hair. Her heart skipped a beat. She did a double take, but it wasn't Loki.

Wow, she was really losing it.

* * *

Loki was pulled back into the present, sitting crossed-legged on the concrete as Selvig, Barton and their crew assembled the Tessaract's portal.

He stood up, smiling an evil grin, his confidence restored.

After getting bullied by the Chitauri lord, it was a rare treat that he discovered the Natasha Romanoff as she was asleep; he was pleased he could enter her dreams. She was such a delicacy. He made a mental note to observe her dreams more often while he was on Midgard, she was such a beauty to trick.

"_You feel so real this time."_

Loki closed his eyes for a brief moment. He felt so triumphant when she had unknowingly admitted she had dreamt of him already. He sincerely wanted to see her again before his visit on Midgard came to a disastrous close, but his entering her mind was futile. He could not trace where she was.

Loki stood and strode over to Barton and Selvig.

"The Tessaract is showing me so much. It's more than just knowledge, it's... truth," Erik said.

"I know," Loki said quietly. He turned to the agent, "What did it show you, Agent Barton?"

"My next target," Clint replied.

"Tell me what you need," Loki said.

"I'll need a distraction," he said as he grabbed his bow, "and an eyeball."

Loki motioned for Clint to exit Selvig's makeshift lab, "Let us be on our way," he paused, "You have amassed quite a number of mortals to assist Erik Selvig."

Clint's glowing blue eyes regarded Loki calmly, "SHIELD had no shortage of enemies, sir."

Loki gave him a small smile.

"Romanoff and I always say that if SHIELD goes down, we're fucked. Our affiliation with SHIELD is too strong; no other systems would take us."

Loki felt a wave of unusual surprise hit him, "There is an Agent Romanoff?"

Clint kept walking, "Yes. Agent Natasha Romanoff, codename Black Widow. She's the very best. Better than me, for sure."

"Describe her appearance," Loki's voice was low and sinister.

"She's gorgeous, but she doesn't care. She's average height, average weight, short red hair, fire-truck red—"

Loki wrapped an arm around Clint's shoulder as they left the underground facility, "You shall tell me everything you know about this Black Widow."

* * *

Natasha felt pretty proud of herself. Despite her internal war about sleeping with Loki, she had successfully convinced Banner to join them, and was now on her way with Steve and Phil to apprehend Loki in Germany.

And Clint. She prayed to God that Clint was okay. He had never once been compromised in all the years she knew him, in his entire career. He was going to be a mess when she found him.

She was flying a small fighter jet with Steve as her co-pilot when she spotted Loki. Her heart stuttered. He was dressed in his full Asgardian armor; his gold helmet adorned with sharp, graceful horns. He held his glowing scepter like a sword, pointed towards a crowd of kneeling people.

"There he is, Captain," she said calmly into her microphone. _No Clint. Fuck. Damn it!_ Natasha barely controlled her growl of disappointment.

Steve took his headphones off and grabbed his shield, "Open the hatch, I'm going out there."

Natasha watched as Steve dropped to the ground and deflected a blow from Loki's scepter. She flew the fighter closer, and released the machine gun, "Loki, drop the weapon and stand down!" she said into her headphones, projecting the sound out to the crowd.

Loki shot at the plane and she barely maneuvered away in time.

Steve and Loki were fighting like maniacs, she couldn't get a clear shot.

"These guys are all over the place," she mumbled.

Suddenly her computer screens malfunctioned and she heard a voice through her headphones, "Agent Romanoff. You miss me?"

Natasha smiled to herself. _Tony Stark, here to save the day._

Tony flew down from the sky and landed heavily as he shot Loki to the ground. Loki put his hands up in defeat, and his Asgardian clothing vanished away.

Natasha landed in the square. She unbuckled her harness, and stepped out through the back hatch to greet Tony.

Tony flew over to her and picked her up in a hug, "Natasha, honey, baby, where have you been?"

Natasha laughed and gave Tony's suit an audible slap, "Can't hug a suit, Tony."

He put her down as Steve walked over with Loki in custody, the scene instantly tense.

"He gave up pretty easy, Nat," Tony looked disgruntled. He wasn't used to winning so easily.

Natasha and Loki's eyes met. Loki felt a shiver run down his spine as he took in the sight of Natasha Romanoff in her leather suit. Her face was cold and impassive, the complete opposite of the woman who's mind he had witnessed earlier.

He gave her a small grin, so fleeting that she barely saw it. So, he recognized her.

She turned around and stepped back into the fighter jet, "Let's go."

He looked too tempting. His tall, lithe frame oozed confidence, and she was sure his green eyes saw straight through her. Natasha had to control herself. He was the bad guy. He was the enemy. He was the man, the demi-god, who had killed almost a hundred people since he had landed on Earth.

Natasha buckled her harness and radioed to SHIELD for their return. No one could know what she had done with Loki, even if it was before he was an admitted homicidal maniac. She would stay away from him for the time being.

But, Loki was evil and he knew her weaknesses. Therefore, she would have to kill him. Sooner or later.


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey guys! Please let me know what you think of this chapter, the last part was a little difficult. Thank you for reading it/ tolerating my amateur-ness!_

* * *

It was too soon for an interrogation. Loki hadn't even been on board the Airship for an hour, but Fury had snapped at her to get some information after his own chat with Loki went awry. And so Natasha went to do what she did best, dealing death aside.

He paced back and forth in the glass cage meant for the Hulk. She observed him for a few moments, finally having a moment to get a good, full look at him. His head was ducked, and he muttered to himself, totally absorbed in his own mind. His cheeks were hollow and there were dark bruises under his eyes. His entire demeanor had changed in such a short span of time. Natasha wondered at the catalyst. He looked mad. He looked positively beaten. Yet, he still looked so alluring, graceful, and handsome. He truly was a prince.

She stepped forward, and on the next turn of his heel he spotted her.

His face broke out into a grin, "There are not many people who can sneak up on me."

"But you figured I'd come?" Natasha took a quiet breath, steeling herself for whatever he would lash at her.

"After… After whatever tortures Fury can concoct. You would appear as a friend, as a balm, and I would cooperate," His eyes poured into her, drinking up the sight of her like she was a glass of cool water in the middle of the Sahara. Oh, his woman had changed. Her hair was shorter, her face colder and more reserved. Her leather cat suit fit her like a second skin, and Loki couldn't help but stare.

"I want to know what you've done to Agent Barton." Fury would scold her for that later, but it was imperative for Natasha to know if Clint was alive or dead.

"I'd say I've expanded his mind." Jealousy flared through him quickly. He hadn't seen her in what felt like so long, and her first question was of the weak-minded human? Loki grinned wide again, hiding his true emotion. He smiled like an evil monkey, exposing his teeth.

"And once you've won, once you're king of the mountain, what happens to his mind?"

"Is this love, Agent Romanoff?"

Natasha scoffed, "Love is for children. I owe him a debt."

Loki swept his cloak out behind him and sat on the bench in the cage, "Tell me."

Okay, she could play his game, "Before I worked for SHIELD, I ah - well, I made a name for myself. I have a very specific skill set. I didn't care whom I used it for, or on. I got on SHIELD's radar in a bad way. Agent Barton was sent to kill me. He made a different call."

Loki knew all this already. His smile grew. He knew so much more about her now. Barton was quite useful in that aspect. Yet, Loki didn't know if he had made Barton tell him everything about her out of his own curiosity, or the need to have information to destroy her with.

"And what will you do if I vow to spare him?" His eyes probed hers.

"Not let you out." She dare not say how much she wanted to be let into his cage.

"I know, but I like this. Your world in the balance and you bargain for one man."

"Regimes fall every day. I tend not to weep over that, I'm Russian. Or I was," she winced slightly when she mentioned her heritage. The way he laughed that night about the Russians made so much sense now. She hoped he hadn't observed her flush of shame.

"And what are you now?"

"It's really not that complicated. I've got red in my ledger, and I'd like to wipe it out."

His eyes glowed, "Can you? Can you wipe out that much red? Drakoff's daughter, Sao Paulo, the hospital fire? Barton told me _everything_. Your ledger is dripping, it's gushing red, and you think saving a man no more virtuous than yourself will change anything?" His voice rolled over her like frosty, icy waves, and Natasha remembered the way his voice had murmured her name like a prayer weeks before. "This is the basis of sentimentality. This is a child's prayer, pathetic! You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are part of you and they will never go away," he slammed his fist onto the glass, not realizing until that moment he had stepped forward, he was only inches away from her, "I won't touch Barton! Not until I make him kill you, slowly, intimately, in every way he knows you fear. And then he'll wake just long enough to see his good work. And when he screams, I'll split his skull!"

Natasha turned away with an audible gasp. She bent her head, shoulders slumped in defeat.

"This is my bargain, you mewling quim!" Loki saw the hunch of her shoulders and smiled from ear to ear; reveling in the fact that he had broken her so quickly. Now this was the power the Other had spoken of: the ability to exercise complete control over this woman, to make her suffer from mere words.

"You're a monster."

"Oh no, you brought the monster."

Suddenly, Natasha stood up straight and spun around, "So that's your play? Banner?" She touched her earpiece, and mumbled something intelligible. She pranced off, and left him alone. Loki felt his grin fall.

He didn't hear what she said or the clack of her heels over the ringing in his ears. She just tricked him? Him? Loki stepped away from the glass wall and stood still in the cage. Rage boiled under his skin and adrenaline rippled through his veins. The striking Black Widow, the infamous interrogator, had pulled the rug out from under him. By now the entire crew knew of his plan. They knew he was relying on the Hulk to tear the place and his brother apart.

A hysterical laugh bubbled from his lips; the irony was not lost on him. She had manipulated Loki the Trickster.

She was quite accomplished at her trade.

"You're going to pay for that," he whispered.

* * *

Natasha was watching the video of her little talk with Loki.

_"Thank you for your cooperation," she had said, and then she had walked away._

_ A pause, "You're going to pay for that," he whispered._

Natasha paused and re-wound the video to listen to his speech to her again. Barton had told Loki almost everything about her. He knew killing was one of the only things she was good at. He knew how much she had fought with herself about that. All of her and Clint's private discussions were no longer a secret.

_"You lie and kill in the service of liars and killers. You pretend to be separate, to have your own code, something that makes up for the horrors. But they are part of you and they will never go away!"_

Natasha paused the tape again. She stared at the way the Loki's eyes had burned.

She sat at the monitor for twenty minutes. She glanced from Bruce and Tony examining Loki's scepter in the next room and then back to the screen.

Why did he get so riled up, telling her she was never going to make up for the chaos she had created? She ran a hand through her hair, remembering the hospital fire. There had to be something more there behind his madness. Her eyes bore into the screen. It was desperation. He wasn't trying to convince her she was inherently evil; he was trying to convince himself that he _was_.

Natasha watched the tape again, and noticed how after Loki and punched the barrier, his hand splayed out, palm flush against the glass.

That was it. That was why his rant was irking her so much. He was trying to convince himself that he was in too deep, that even if he gave up now, there was nothing he could do to stop the Chitauri from coming to Earth. The horrible thing is that he was probably right, but if he repented now, he believed he wouldn't be forgiven. There really was no going back. The damage would still be dealt

She turned to the other screen showing the live Loki in real time. He was resting on the bench, his head tilted back against the wall, his eyes closed. She canceled the recording, shut of the computers at her station, and went to him.

"Back again?" he asked without opening his eyes.

She opened the door, and stepped into his cage. Loki's eyes opened in alarm, and the door shit behind her with a subtle clang.

"I thought you weren't going to let me out?" he eyed her warily. Barton had told her that looks were deceiving and she was extremely dangerous, and though he was not mortal, she could still hurt him.

"I know your secret, Loki." She leaned back on the glass door carefully, so as not to make the cage shift.

"Yes, I know. The monster."  
"Not that one," she spoke softly.

"The one where I can leave this cage at any moment?" He said trying to scare her.

"And that you're just trying to distract us from finding the Tessaract. Guess again," She gave him a small smile.

"Well, my dear, I can think of no other secret relevant to our situation, please, educate me," he saw her give a small shudder when he called her dear. He was sure she was not cold.

"I know that you want to give up," she said, watching him carefully for his reaction.

He stilled, and his wide eyes met hers. She continued, "I know that it is too late for you to surrender. No matter what you do, we won't be able to find the Tessaract in time to stop Selvig from building your portal. The Chitauri are coming, and even though you want to give up, the plan you had will still happen."

She was scared. She had no idea how he would react.

"You inferred all of that from our little conversation?" he was still sitting like a statue, not moving an inch.

"I know you a little better than the others. I see details were they see black space. You feel like you have no choice, that you have to finish what you started, but you don't Loki. You can try to help us fight them."

His eyes closed when she said his name, "I have no choice."

She stepped towards him, and his eyes flickered open, and the slight desperation she had seen earlier had multiplied tenfold.

"Yes you do!" she reached for him, and he grabbed her wrists before she could touch his face.

"Trying to snap my neck, spy?" he asked. Crap, he wasn't listening to her; he wasn't going to trust her.

"I have no interest in killing you. Today," she added as an afterthought. Her lips turned up again in an apologetic smile, "Despite all that you've done."

"Has Fury sent you to finally torture me?" his fingers began to massage her wrists.

"Damn it Loki." She gave an exasperated growl and searched his eyes for something, anything.

"I also have a red ledger, Natasha. There is nothing I can do to wipe it clean," he pulled her to him, and planted a chaste kiss on her lips.

Natasha had waited for this moment since he had first left her in Russia. But it was all wrong, he was on the wrong side, she was going to have to take him down. He wasn't right for her, she wasn't going to be able to save him, and he wasn't going to be able to save her.

She intensified the kiss, lacing her fingers through his; she sat and straddled him on the bench. He kissed her back with such ferocity that shivers ran down her spine, electrifying her as they went. She could tell he had wanted her from the moment she had shown herself to him.

"Natasha," he growled, "If you don't leave, I will fuck you and I will kill you."

She began to suck at his neck, and her fingers pulled his hair, "Loki," she bit his neck, "Loki," she licked the mark, "Loki," she scolded.

His gasps were loud in his ears. He prayed then, so frantically prayed, that no one else was going to come taunt him at this moment.

"If you kill me, you won't be able to do this to me ever again," she whispered.

He grunted and created another Loki to pace by the door of the cage.

Natasha turned and saw the fake Loki smile at her from across the room. She turned back to the Loki that was unzipping her suit, letting her heavy breasts free, "My tricks do come in very handy," with a wave of his hand he created a sphere around them, and Natasha knew they had become invisible to anyone outside it.

He smirked at her, magically transferring their clothes to the floor. Natasha didn't even show her amazement, she instantly kissed him and reached between them, guiding his penis to her. He entered her slowly, filling her to the brim. His long fingers gripper her ass, surely leaving bruises.

"Quickly," she grunted. She began to lift herself up and lower herself down, rolling her hips. He growled and caught her breast in his mouth, making her moan.

She was so wet, dripping with desire for him. He wrapped his tongue around her nipple, and gave it a harsh tug with his teeth. He had missed this woman. Her body was astounding to him, and he was confounded at the way he responded so readily to her, and she to him.

He could quit. He could give up this battle. He knew it was pointless from the beginning. He could sneak in through this puny human world, and they could voluntarily make him their leader. He could win them over with his magic and his charm, the same way he had won Natasha. For he _had_ won her.

She gripped his arms, shaking slightly in anticipation of her orgasm. She bent slightly to kiss him again, and he happily returned it. She tasted different; she tasted better than before. He reached between them, and began to circle her clitoris, pinching and rubbing, pinching and rubbing, and she unraveled before him. She brought him with her over the edge.

"Ah, Loki!" she moaned into his mouth.

Natasha collapsed on top of him, and he held her close, kissing her skin.

Natasha had barely had a moment to catch her breath before her earpiece screaming from the floor. She climbed off Loki and smirked as he didn't move a muscle, eyes closed; completely spent. She placed the tiny bud in her ear, "—enemy sighted! They're on board, coming through the bottom hatches! Go! Go! Go!"

"Shit!" Natasha looked Loki in alarm, and he opened one eye to look at her.

She picked up her suit and stepped into it quickly. The second Loki had disappeared, and the Loki on the bench was suddenly fully dressed again.

She stepped towards the door, and placed her hand against the blue square of glass. It turned red as it scanned her hand and the door opened.

"Stay here," he smiled at her command, "I'll come back, okay?"

His eyes fluttered open, shock coloring his face, "Coming back? Did I not give you what you wanted?"

She gave him a slight giggle. She giggled!

"Well, yes. But you haven't given me everything."

"I shall sit here."

Natasha stepped through the door and shut it, running towards the command deck without a glace back.

_My dear spy_, Loki thought, _I fear that I may give you everything. That's the problem. _


	5. Chapter 5

_Hey everyone! Thank you all so much for reading and reviewing my story, it means so much to me! I have the next couple chapters ready for uploading, so be prepared! -Lena_

* * *

Natasha had officially lost her cool. Engine One had been bombed, they were under attack, and she was seriously lagged from her visits with Loki. Her blood ran cold, weighing down her arms. She couldn't pull her leg from under the fallen pipe; she was pinned to the floor while Banner was changing and shifting into the Hulk. The proximity was too close for her liking, and the way she was meshed to the floor was too vulnerable.

She pulled and pulled, trying to calm Banner down, "Doctor Banner! Bruce, you gotta fight it. This is just what Loki wants," the pipe moved about an inch, "We're gonna be okay. Listen to me!"

_Sweet Jesus_, she thought as Bruce's skin rippled with green waves, _how can that calm motherfucker turn into this?_

"We're gonna be okay, right? I swear on my life I will get you out of this! You will walk away, and never—"

"Your life?" Bruce yelled at her as he fully transformed.

One final tug released her leg, and she sprinted for it. The Hulk was behind her, crashing and smashing everything. She almost fell when he literally pulled the metal bridge out from under her. She heard steam pipes whistle as he broke them and let their contents loose.

She had never experienced this kind of fear. If the Hulk even touched her she was a goner for good. That was it, the end. She was only human.

Natasha ran through a glass corridor, the Hulk only steps behind her, and time slowed down. Suddenly, Loki was before her, the edges of him shimmering. He stood at the end of the hallway in full regalia and smirked at her. She almost tripped at the sight of him, and ducked her head as the Hulk pulled wires loose, sparks flying. When Natasha looked back up, Loki was gone. _Had he escaped?_

She crouched down low to hide in a hollow down below a stairwell, and the Hulk ran right past her. _What the fuck had just happened? Was she hallucinating?_ Another image came through to her: Loki hunkered down with her, nuzzling her neck, his hot breath on her skin.

Natasha whirled around and found she was alone. She touched her neck and she felt a sizzle of electricity, a heat that wasn't there before. Her whole body trembled as she tried to get her breathing under control, the spark traveling over her skin. Adrenaline and fear washed over her. She felt her body start to go into shock.

She massaged the skin where Loki had touched her, and a light bulb went off in her head. The Trickster was fucking with her.

Natasha touched her earpiece, listening to all the orders being shouted. She had used her body as a weapon her whole life, and that fucker was trying to use her best weapon against her.

Then someone said in her ear, "Agent Barton has been spotted with the enemy! S2!"

Clint was making his way to Loki's cage.

* * *

Loki took a deep breath, relaxing his shoulders. As he opened his eyes, he broke the connection he had created with Natasha. That was...quite entertaining. He tried to calm his own body, little did the woman know he felt every sensation that he sent to her. He hoped he had successfully diverted her attention so he and Barton could escape without her notice.

Agent Barton opened the door to the cage and nodded at Loki before ordering his troops to fight on a different part of the ship. As Loki began to step out Thor came crashing towards him, shouting, and he fell right through Loki's body as if it was dust.

This was getting more beautiful by the second. As Barton and the others slid off, Loki locked the cage with Thor inside, "Are you ever going to not fall for that?"

Loki smirked as his dear brother raged and yelled at him. Thor's hammer hit the glass wall, and the whole cage shifted slightly downward. Loki's grin grew. He lifted up the control panel case, gave one last look to his brother. He pressed the large black button and sent his brother away, falling to Earth's surface leagues below.

He was about to leave when Agent Coulson came at him with a large mortal weapon in his hands. _This will be quick_, Loki thought. As the pair stared each other down, Loki created a double behind the agent, and ran his spear through the man's chest.

The agent slumped to the floor. Loki once again turned to leave, when the man spoke again.

"You're gonna lose."

"Am I?"

"It's in your nature."

Loki bristled, "Your heroes are scattered, and your floating fortress falls from the sky. Tell me, where is my disadvantage?"

"You lack conviction."

Loki stared at the old man. Did Natasha tell the agent about his despair? About how much he wanted to abandon his scheme? He felt himself pale. She had betrayed him. His gut twisted in malice. He meant nothing to the spy. He had once again been used.

"I don't think I—" Loki began, but Coulson pulled the trigger on the gun in his lap and Loki was abruptly thrown into the walls behind him.

* * *

Natasha had somehow met up with Clint, and as the two dealt blows and blocks, she realized that we're too evenly matched. He was going in for the kill. She hit him hard, in self-defense. She wanted to keep him alive. She slid down through the guardrails onto the platform below, and Clint followed. She kicked his legs out from under him, but as he fell he pulled her ankle and she fell with him. She rolled to the side, climbing through a grate, and then swinging back up to punch Clint. He pulled her hair and she bit his arm. _We're they really resorting to hair pulling?_ Fine, she thought, as she kneed him in the crotch. He went down and she hit him hard on the head. His gaze met hers, and his eyes seemed to clear.

"Natasha?" he whispered. She eyed him, and the blue sheen from his eyes had disappeared. She clocked him once more. For good measure.

* * *

Natasha sat by Clint's bed, waiting for him to come to. He really was having a hard time fighting his own mind.

As she finally calmed down, she was able to analyze what exactly had happened in the last three hours. They caught Loki, she interrogated him, she made his blood boil, they had an invisible quickie, and as revenge for discovering his internal battles he had distracted her as she was running for her life from the Hulk. Then she had found Clint, with a fully blown mind-fuck, and knocked it out of him. Then Loki killed Coulson and escaped.

Part of her was pissed he had gotten away, but he hadn't exactly broken any promises.

"_I shall sit here."_

He hadn't said he was going to stay. Her heart twisted in disappointment. She was in such a rush to join the battle, she hadn't noticed his trick.

Yet, she was relieved he was gone. He murdered Coulson, and that only solidified her resolve to stop and apprehend Loki. The way she acted around him… well that was it. She wasn't acting around him. She was the most honest with him. Natasha didn't think when she was around him. She didn't calculate her every move, and he knew that. As much as he satisfied her needs and ignited her soul, she needed to keep herself in check. Loki must be brought to justice.

Natasha remembered the way he had ghosted her when she was crouched under the stairs. He hadn't actually touched her, but she could still sense his hot breath spreading over her slowly like honey. And it made her shiver.

She gazed at Clint as he thrashed in his entranced state. It had been so long since they were last together. Natasha hadn't realized until then how much she had worried about him. Suddenly, her emotions caught up with her in the privacy of their room. She grabbed Clint's hand as tears silently ran down her cheeks. Clint was the only man, the only person, she had ever let get close, and she had almost lost him.

He was okay; her best friend had found her. _But your God of Mischief has left you._

"Tasha?" Clint slurred at her, sleepy eyes meeting hers. He tried to sit up.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's okay, you're safe."

"You're crying." He noted.

"Loki escaped."

"He's gone?"

"Yeah, but we're heading after him, as soon as the superheroes get their act together."

Natasha gripped his hand tighter, "I thought you were gone," her voice cracked.

Clint smiled a sad smile, and pulled her down to him for a hug. The Black Widow had no feelings, no friends, no one to care for, this Clint knew. But right now, it was Natasha here with him, and he was her only friend, and he felt so sorry for leaving her. As he gained control over his mind, he realized he had involuntarily abandoned her.

"Come here," he said, indicating for her to climb into the bed with him.

Natasha obeyed without hesitation, and Clint wrapped his arms around her.

She sighed as she felt herself close her emotions back up, putting them back into their box in the back of her mind. Clint kissed her hair, and began to tell her everything that had happened to him.

For the first time in what felt like a long time, Natasha felt safe. Enclosed in Clint's arms, she listened to his chest rumble as he spoke.

Sometimes a master assassin realizes she's had enough adventure for one day. Sometimes she needs to feel normal.

* * *

Clint had finished his story, or at least what he could remember of it. He didn't remember where Selvig was building the portal, but he remembered stealing the Iridium in Germany and taking down his fellow agents.

Natasha had listened silently, without any comment. Clint had never felt completely undone before; he had never been taken out of his head and completely rebuilt by someone else. Natasha wondered to herself if she had struggled with it years ago as much as Clint was struggling with it now. Now this, she could relate to Clint with like no one else.

"Nat?"

"Hmm?"

"My arms asleep, and I gotta piss."

Natasha laughed as she got up from the bed, and sat in the chair across the room, "You sure know how to ruin the moment, Clint."

He strode into the bathroom, "That's my specialty!"

"I feel sorry for the women who put up with you," Natasha mumbled.

"I heard that!" Clint said through the door, "Those women put up with me because they want my sweet ass!"

Natasha laughed, and it felt so good to joke around after all the hell she had just went through.

Clint opened the door a moment later, drying his hands, and Steve walked into their room. He looked at Natasha, silently asking if Clint was alright. She gave the smallest nod.

"You got a suit?" Steve asked Clint.

"Yes."

"Then suit up. We found the Tessaract," Steve left without a second glance.

Natasha felt herself lock down. This was it. The war was about to start. She suddenly wished that Steve had never been born. That he had forgotten where Clint's quarters were, and that they would be able to stay untouched by anyone else for the rest of time.

"Why is he all serious?" Clint asked, pulling Natasha out of the silent chaos of her mind.

"He's pissed. Loki murdered Phil."

Clint rounded on her, "What? Phil's dead?" Natasha nodded, "Its personal for everyone, now."


	6. Chapter 6

**_Two Days Later_**

Natasha was so tired. She had slept for fifteen hours, and she wanted to sleep longer, but she made herself get up. Pushing herself into a sitting position, she saw that Clint was asleep next to her on her bed. Somehow, they had made it the six blocks from Shwarma to her apartment. They were both still in full gear and hadn't even bothered to climb under her duvet. They were filthy, as was her bed. Clint hadn't even made it all the way on the mattress; his lower half was hanging off the edge. She went to her bathroom; her legs were tight and sore as she peeled off her cat suit and stepped in the shower. Her arms ached as she squeezed shampoo into her hand. The ashes and grime mixed slowly with the water at her feet before swirling down the drain.

She tried to process what exactly had happened to her, when it hit her: Fury got what he wanted. He had officially created the Avengers Initiative, and she was part of it. She was now a part of the most elite team in the universe, and they had saved Earth. She started crying, taking huge, ragged breaths that hurt. She had just won a war against another race of aliens. She had been on countless missions, fought and killed hundreds of people, but that was nothing next to fighting in a war. She had seen battles, but not once had she witness the destruction she did yesterday.

There was a knock on the door, "Nat? Baby, are you okay?"

Natasha took a deep breath, "No. I'll be out in a minute," her voiced wavered. She had to get control of herself. She rinsed off and stepped out of the shower. Drying her skin with a towel, she noticed all the bruises and scrapes on her skin. She gasped when she went to examine herself in the mirror. She had gotten hit a lot by the Chitauri: there was a yellow bruise on her chin where she had gotten clocked by a Chitauri spear, and her arms were cut all over from blocking so many blows. But she knew that the large, five-fingered handprints on her hips where from a different extra-terrestrial. Taking another deep breath, she noticed how much her chest hurt. Wrapping her towel around her, she went back into her bedroom. Clint was stripping the covers off her bed.

"I think I have some broken ribs," she said as she went to her tiny closet.

Clint looked up and winced when he saw her face and arms, "You look like shit."

"Have you seen yourself?" She had never seen Clint so dirty and beaten. His eye was so black, it was almost swollen shut. There was a huge gash through his suit, revealing a large cut above his heart with dried blood and dust.

Clint looked down, "This one was a close call, I guess," he pulled off one of his boots; his ankle was severely swollen and purple.

"Go shower," Natasha said, "We'll go to SHIELD and get checked out. I think they are sending Thor and Loki back today, too."

Clint began to undo his vest, "I think Tony said at three."

Natasha dug through the cardboard box at the bottom of her closet, "Here," she said, grabbing what she was looking for, "I thought you had left some clothes here."

"Fuck yeah! I thought I lost this jacket!"

Natasha laughed at his enthusiasm. "A galactic war in New York and you get excited over a lost coat? Nothing can change you, Clint," he smiled at her, eyes crinkling in the way Natasha loved. He grabbed the pile of clothes and went to shower.

* * *

Natasha winced as she climbed out of Clint's car. Her ribs _really_ hurt, even with all the new bandaging around them. They were all meeting in the Park by Stark Tower to send Loki back to Asgard, and it couldn't have been a more beautiful day. _If you looked past all the broken buildings and pillars of smoke._

Tony and Steve yelled out her name and she stopped them from hugging her, "Unlike you superheroes, I still feel pretty broken," she warned.

They laughed and squeezed her gently.

Bruce came up to her then, as Clint and Tony started to talk shit to each other, "Hey, how are you doing?" he asked with a soft voice.

"I'm pretty banged up, actually. How are you?"

Bruce shifted nervously, "I'm fine. Listen, I would like to apologize that we haven't had a chance to talk about what happened on the Airship—"

Natasha help up her hand, cutting him off, "Listen, Bruce, you are a fantastic person. I understand what happened and you don't need to be sorry about it. Don't feel bad about who you are."

Bruce beamed at her, pushing his glasses up his nose, "Thank you, Natasha." She wrapped him in a gentle hug, more for her benefit than for his.

Then, Natasha and Clint walked up to Thor and Loki waiting on the sidewalk. Clint went to shake Thor's hand, but Natasha only gave him small smile. She was still a bit wary about the God of Thunder. Loki looked like the only one who hadn't gotten a chance to clean up. His Asgardian clothing was still dirty and ripped, his face cut and bruised. Thor had him cuffed and gagged, to keep the silver-tongue from angering any more people. Seeing Loki in a gag made Natasha's insides squirm. Even as the loser, he still looked absolutely handsome, just like a prince.

"Aha! And the mighty demi-god has returned!" Tony yelled in greeting, "We need to get you new digs, Thor, I doubt Jane appreciates, all these…layers," he waggled his eyebrows at Natasha and everyone laughed.

Loki lifted his eyes off the ground then, when he heard the tinkle of Natasha's giggle. Her lips were spread wide at Tony's joke, and Clint's arm was wrapped protectively around her. So, the Black Widow _was_ in love with the Hawk. Loki's stomach constricted in anger; she was just as much a liar as he was. He regretted everything he had done to that woman; no matter how much he enjoyed it. He had been exposed by her, and she had left him raw and vulnerable, just using him for information. Almost the same way Odin had used him as a child.

She cringed when Clint grabbed her side too hard, but the man didn't even notice her shudder. _She was in pain, she was hurt._ Loki wished so much in that moment he could have tended to her instead of the ignorant archer. He realized his jealousy and tried to shove it away.

Natasha met Loki's gaze, and her heart clenched. He looked at her like she was something to eat; like he was really, _really_ pissed at her. Her chest felt tight, and she took a slow breath, flinching at the way her ribs moved as she inhaled. Loki felt his magic to glue her eyes to his, and he gave her the image of _his_ arm around her waist, his teeth nibbling her earlobe.

He blinked and broke their connection. He had not meant to show her that. She stared at him with wide eyes, her fingers reaching up to touch her ear. He smiled at her, she could tell by the corners of his eyes, and with that, he and Thor twisted the Tessaract and were pulled through to Asgard.

Tony clapped after they had gone, "Alright people! It's over with; let's get the hell out of here! Bruce, you handsome green devil, we must get back to our research!" Bruce smiled to himself, pleased that Tony was so… normal around him. He followed Tony to his car, and with a wave, they sped away.

"Goodbye, guys," Steve said, pulling his leather coat on, "Until next time."

"Bye, Steve!" Clint yelled as Steve started his motorcycle.

Natasha took the passenger seat as Clint strapped himself into his car, turning the ignition, "Where to, Nat?"

"The beach," Natasha said, closing her eyes and resting her head on the leather.

"The beach?"

"No. Just home, please."

Clint sighed, "Man does my own bed sound so good right now."

* * *

Natasha was so fucking hot. The air conditioner had to have shorted out again. Her body was drenched in sweat, and her legs were sticky and tangled in her sheets. She kicked, trying to free her legs. She flipped and flopped until she was finally free of her covers but she was still radiating heat. Sweat beaded on the small of her back, and she panted like a fucking dog. It was unbearable.

She rolled to her side, and let out a frustrated groan. She could never sleep when she was hot. She closed her eyes and tried anyway. Suddenly, cool arms encircled her, and Natasha couldn't help but moan in pleasure. How convenient for her to dream about cold—

Her eyes flickered open in alarm, "What the fuck!"

Loki was there, holding her close to him, "Hello, darling."

Natasha tried to wiggle away, struggling with all her might. Loki squeezed her tighter to him, and she gasped in pain as he pressed his palms to her ribs. She quit struggling; she was stuck until the demi-god let her go.

"Oh, my dear, I am so sorry," he loosened his grip, "I see you are hurt," his brows knitted together as he examined her. She was wearing only her underwear, as her bandages covered her breasts. He quite like the way the woman slept practically naked.

"My, you _are_ warm," he vanished away his mortal plainclothes, until he was just in his underwear as well. He pressed his body to hers, gently, and Natasha instantly felt cooler, "Being a Frost Giant," he shrugged, "I may be of use."

"What the fuck are you doing here, Loki," she tried not to show how his cool, firm chest relieved her so.

"We have to talk, spy."

"You should be in prison."

"My brother is having a conversation with me on Asgard as we speak."

"So are you the real Loki, or just his double?"

"I am the real one," he whispered, and his breath blew Natasha's hair away from her face.

"Well, real Loki, there's nothing to talk about. You need to leave," she tried to look resolute.

"How dare you deny what has happened between us!" Loki said menacingly. Natasha flinched, suddenly afraid of the person who was wrapped around her. Loki gulped, trying to regain control of his anger.

"You used me," he whispered, "You tricked me, and you betrayed me."

"I didn't do any of those things."

He looked at her incredulously, "Explain yourself, Natasha Romanoff, or I will take your life tonight."

"You came to kill me?"

"No. I came for answers. But it is not out of the question."

"How do you think I used you?"

"You discovered my 'lack of conviction' about my war."

"Yes, I did, but I didn't tell anyone. It was useless information; it wouldn't have helped us win."

He pulled her hips closer to his own, "You told the Agent Coulson. You betrayed me, and that is not an act I can forgive," he said quietly as his fingers traced up her skin to her shoulder, and Natasha was reminded of the first night she had met Loki when he had caressed her skin in the same way.

"I-I actually didn't. I guess he discovered it on his own," fear washed over her as his fingers neared her throat, "Loki," she warned.

His eyes closed when she said his name, "I fear we are connected, my dear. I cannot help but hate your mortal heart and aim to win it at the same time. You and the hawk—"

"Clint?"

"Yes, your precious _Clint_," Loki sneered, and his face deliberately turned blue and a red sheen fell over his eyes as his jealousy bubbled, "I learned all about your exploits in Budapest."

"That's over now. We're just friends," Natasha paused and watched as Loki's skin faded gradually back to normal.

"You trust him. He claims you as his own," Loki murmured, remembering the way the man had draped his arm around Natasha's waist.

"We're close. Everyone needs at least one person to talk to," she hesitated, "Are you really here to talk about Clint? To see if I betrayed you?"

"Yes," Loki answered, confused at her questions, "I am not especially keen on being used as a pawn."

"I didn't use you, Loki. When I went to see you on the airship…It was nothing I planned. Every plan I have for you falls to pieces! I can't control myself around you. That's why—," _That's why I was so sad that you left. _She sighed, brushing a strand of Loki's hair behind his ear, "That's why you have to go, before I say anything else stupid." She rested her hand on his cheek, his eyes closed as he savored her touch.

"I should probably make my exit. Thor will notice I am gone soon enough," Loki began to release her.

Natasha couldn't help herself, "Besides! You're the one who left! I told you to stay."

Loki paused, searching her eyes, "I never promised you anything."

"I know! But you still could have listened. I was going to come back to you, I could have convinced you to fight _with_ us."

"I would have done no such thing, Natasha. I had to stay true to my word."

"But you didn't even deliver the Tessaract to the Chitauri!"

"I never said I would deliver it. I only said I would try," Loki smiled wickedly at his trick.

Natasha watched as the corners of his aqua eyes crinkled in delight, and the atmosphere around them subtly changed. She stretched out, her eyes fluttering shut as she hovered just an inch away from Loki's lips.

He hesitated. If he kissed this mortal, he would never be able to leave her. Better to leave now, and forget her forever…

Loki met her lips, and he was lost.


	7. Chapter 7

_I LOVE YOU GUYS! All your reviews and comments make me feel like this story doesn't actually suck! Ha ha!_

_Anyway, sorry this one took a while! Let me know what you think. Thanks so much!_

* * *

"Say it again," Loki whispered.

"Loki Laufeyson," Natasha managed in her huskiest voice, a smile playing on her lips. They were lying in her bed, the sunrise coloring Natasha's room with a warm glow. Her head rested on Loki's chest, listening to his heartbeat slow. As they relaxed, Loki draped his arm around her, and her hand was splayed out on his abdomen. Natasha was finally getting the chance to really observe Loki's body. He was tall and lean, but his muscles were hard and solid, hiding slyly beneath the surface of his skin. Even his body was a trick. He looked thin but he had the strength of an almighty god, and last night was a testimony to it.

"You make my name sound less like a curse," he sighed.

Loki delicately traced patterns into Natasha's side bandages, careful not to press too firmly and risk her pain. She was grateful for his cool fingers and they way is numbed her side.

"What is going to happen to you now that you're back on Asgard?"

Loki stiffened, "Ah, home. I gave my formal statement and apology before I came to visit you. In Odin's place, Thor has given me my punishment. He has incarcerated me."

"So you _are_ supposed to be in prison."

"I get to serve out my sentence in the Allfather's palace."

Natasha chuckled, "So you're grounded?"

"What?"

Natasha laughed even harder, until she had to wipe away the tears from her eyes, "You come this close," she held up her fingers, indicating an inch between her forefinger and thumb, "to obliterating the human race, and all you do is get grounded like some pre-pubescent boy!"

"It's not funny." Loki pouted.

"Kinda," Natasha took a deep breath, trying to control any more escaping giggle and failing miserably.

"Enough with your hysterics, woman," he grinned. Her laugh was infectious.

She sighed and her fingers went back to playing with his happy trail.

"As it turns out, Thanos, the Mad Titan who was controlling the Chitauri—"

"The alien who gave you the scepter?"

"Yes. He was controlling me, poisoning my mind similar to the way I had controlled your Doctor Selvig."

"And Clint," Natasha added. Loki said nothing, but continued to trace Natasha's side.

_Crap_, Natasha thought, _she shouldn't have mentioned him._

"So the fact that Thanos whispered naughty ideas into your ear, redeems you?"

Loki sighed, "No. But it does make my infraction seems less appalling. I explained to Thor what had happened to me with the Chitauri. I told him how I was never truly loyal to them. Only trying to survive."

Natasha opened her mouth to ask what had happened to Loki when he was fostered by the Chitauri, but she decided to keep her mouth shut. _Now was not the time. _

They were quite for some time, and Natasha started to fall asleep.

When Loki heard her soft snore, he grinned to himself. These mortals tired so easily. He connected to her mind and sent her the image of them together last night. _He was hovering above her, the pace achingly slow, searing them both. His fingers gripped her hips to ensure she was careful with herself, and he held her still as she unwound around him…_

"Loki! Stop it!" Natasha slapped his chest, her whole body shaking. Loki's eyes popped open, only now realizing how intense he had made her dream.

She rolled away from him, groaning into her pillow as sparks exploded behind her eyelids, her legs quivering.

Loki propped himself up on his elbow as he watched her unravel, "Forgive me, Natasha, I did not intended for that to be overwhelming."

She rolled over, and her stomach clenched when she saw his emerald puppy-dog eyes, "You are definitely forgiven," she said. She pulled him in for a kiss, and Loki wound his fingers through her soft red curls, holding her face securely to his own.

When he finally pulled away, he observed how swollen her lips had become and the dark marks blossoming on her neck and exposed chest, "I think you need some recovery time, my dear," he grinned at his hard work.

She stretched, and Loki watched the way her body arced, "I could totally use some uninterrupted sleep," she slurred.

Loki pulled the sheet over her shoulders, "Before I go, promise me something."

"Hmm?"

"Be my own," he cupped her cheek, her eyes fluttering shut, "No one else's. Not Barton's. Mine. Give me your heart."

"I have no heart to give, remember?" she mumbled.

Loki was taken aback. He had not expected that, not after the night they had shared, "Natasha?"

But she was already asleep.

* * *

Loki materialized into his room and walked slowly to the side table of his bed, feet dragging. He set a thin silver bracelet on the surface. He had taken it from Natasha, as a souvenir; he didn't quite know why, yet the silver in the morning sun had caught his eye. He took a seat on the edge of his bed, and began to take off his heavy boots. He had never felt more exhausted in his life. His mortal really drained him. He smiled to himself… his mortal. She may not have admitted it, but with Natasha, the fact she had not tried to kill him…well, Loki was not dull, he knew what it meant. She was just as taken with him as he was with her. Making her admit it to herself was going to be the hard part.

As he began to undo his leather vest, he felt a cold, metallic blade rest on the back of his neck, "Hello, Prince Loki."

Loki knew that gravelly voice, for it had haunted his dreams for the past few nights. Fear washed over him, "Thanos."

Thanos walked around Loki's bed, the blade of his spear circling Loki's neck as he went, slicing a thin red line in the prince's skin. Thanos stood tall, his purple skin dark under his armor.

"I see you are back in your comfortable home."

"How did you get in here?" Loki whispered.

"Surely you know. Best you check on Heimdall after I am gone."

Thanos rested his spear precariously on Loki's Adam's apple. Loki tried not to swallow nervously.

"Out and about are we? You look absolutely drained. I wonder... why is that?" Thanos' red eyes bored into Loki's, "Why, exactly, are you so weary, when you have done absolutely nothing to render you so? You are _safe_ on Asgard," he smiled, "and you have not delivered my Tessaract."

"I was defeated."

Thanos roared at him, "You gave up! As soon as your glorious golden brother showed up, you lost all resolve!"

"I fought with your army! I bled by their sides!"

Thanos pushed his spear deeper into Loki's throat, causing an even greater wound, "You led them to Earth like Fomalhauti for slaughter!"

"I only told you that I would try," Loki said menacingly.

Thanos dropped his spear, and closing the gap between them he said, "Try again, _prince_, or next time we meet you shall welcome your final end."

Thanos spit in Loki's face, disappearing into thin air.

Loki tried to wipe the saliva out of his eyes, and Thor rushed into his room wearing only his underwear, "I heard shouting!" The god boomed, Mjolnir in hand.

"Perfect timing, brother," Loki sneered.

Thor saw the blood dripping from Loki's neck, "What has happened?"

"We should check on Heimdall," Loki touched his neck, observing the red liquid on his fingertips, "Thanos has just paid me a visit."

* * *

It was still the middle of the night on Asgard. Loki stood with Lady Sif, his arms crossed as Frigga inspected his neck.

"Thanos has torn my palace apart!" Thor yelled, pacing back and forth across the throne room.

"Hush, Thor," Frigga warned, "At least he did not find what he was looking for."

Heimdall was laid out on a large gold table, his chest cut through his golden armor. Hogun was trying to unlatch Heimdall's breast plate in order to get a better look at his wound. Heimdall coughed, blood leaking from his nose, "He knows not where we hid it. He was desperate enough to think it was here."

"He believes Loki knows," Thor grumbled.

"He was quite clear that I deliver it, or forfeit my life," Loki spoke softly to Frigga.

She patted the front of Loki's neck with a cloth, "He is getting reckless then. It was extremely rash for him to attack us when the Allfather is in Odinsleep."

Suddenly, Thor strode up to Loki and placed his large hand upon his brother's shoulder, "Tell me you did not aid him, brother. Tell me your repentance was not a farce."

"I told you the truth, Thor. I was not myself. Thanos and the Other corrupted my mind. I was only searching for a way home."

Thor wrapped Loki up into a hug. And for the first time in a long time, Loki returned it.


	8. Chapter 8

_Asdfjkl;! I cannot even express to you all the sudden burst of inspiration I got last night. I've got the next three chapters ready for publishing, so expect an onslaught of Blackfrost feels. Don't say I didn't warn you! Thanks again!_

* * *

It was morning and Loki sat next to Odin's casket, watching him as he was in Odinsleep. Thor stood behind him and Frigga sat on the other side of Odin, tears in her eyes as she watched her love lay still.

"It took almost everything left in him to send you to Earth, Thor," she said softly, "I pray he wakes soon, however I believe that this shall be his longest slumber yet. We are in such need of his knowledge of Thanos."

Loki looked to his foster mother, "He knows of Thanos?"

Frigga sighed, "You do not know everything about your father, no matter how many stories he has told you. He and Thanos…they were enemies since long before you both were born."

"What do you know of this villain, mother?" Thor asked.

"I know little. Thanos, he is one of the Titans. He has spent most of his life in search for the Infinity Gems. When he had collected them all, he created the Gauntlet," her eyes flew to the gold glove on Odin's right hand, "Your father fought him, for all of Asgard believed that Thanos did not deserve such power. Odin was triumphant and took it from him, and convinced Thanos he has destroyed it."

Loki stared at the glove on Odin's hand, "I've seen that in the treasure room before. That is what he used to send Thor to earth?"

Frigga nodded at Loki, "Now we cannot remove it from the Allfather's hand. Its dark power will not let it be disconnected from him."

"Odin told me it was just a useless glove, worthless because its partner was lost," Loki felt his fury rise like bile in his throat. All the old feelings, all the past lies rushed back to him as he learned of Odin's latest deceit. Was no one honest with him? Did no one think he was worthy of the truth? He no longer wondered how he had learned his mischievous ways.

"Odin did try to destroy it. But it cannot be broken. He wishes for no one to know of its abilities. He has vowed to hide it from all the realms!" Frigga stood, desperation coloring her voice as she pleaded to her sons, "You must tell no one your father has possession of it! He only utilized it so that Thor may aid the mortals in stopping you!" her eyes bored into Loki's, and he felt himself blush in humiliation.

"I will tell no one," he whispered.

"You have my word," Thor said. He placed his hand on his brother's shoulder, and Loki looked up at him.

"Loki, I had no knowledge of this Gauntlet until the Allfather used it to send me to you. I swear it."

Loki returned his gaze to Odin, not knowing what to say to his brother, "What is this thing capable of controling?"

"Time, Space, Mind, Soul, Reality, and Power," Thor recited, "Each gem gives the wearer control over one aspect of the multiverse."

Loki's brows shot up in surprise. It was no wonder Odin lied to Thanos about the glove. It was more powerful than a thousand Tessaracts combined, "Thanos said he was after the Tessaract, yet now he must know his powerful gauntlet still exists, He must have seen it on Odin's hand. Why did he not slit Odin's throat and take it?"

Frigga shrugged, "I know not. Perhaps the titan tried to. It is a miracle he spared him," and the thought of Odin being murdered in his mortal state brought on a fresh waves of tears.

Thor paced the length of Odin's room, "If he has seen the gauntlet on father, then he knows that we still have possession of it. We must prepare Asgard for an attack."

Shock painted Frigga's face, "What for?"

Thor looked mournfully at Loki, "If Thanos knows how to control the gauntlet, then there is no doubt he will return to try to steal it back, this time with an army. The Infinity Gauntlet is more powerful than the Tessaract. He won't need Loki to bring it to him any longer."

Loki felt himself chill. Now that Thanos knew that the gauntlet still resided on Asgard, Loki was nothing more to him than an outdated tool to him, waiting to be disposed of. If Thanos came back for him, it would be to follow through on his death threat.

"What an astute observation, brother."

* * *

Natasha stood at her stove, stirring a pot of rigatoni when Clint arrived, "I'm in here!" she called.

He noisily clambered into the kitchen, dumping two giant armfuls of grocery bags on the table, "Hey Nat!" he stepped over to her and kissed her cheek, "How are you, baby?"

"Better. Still sore," she observed his fading black eye, "You look loads better."

"I can see better, too. Training sucked the past couple days; I didn't have any depth perception." He pulled out a saucepan from the bottom cabinet, and Natasha noticed how comfortably he moved around her kitchen, with an easy knowledge like it was his own. He poured a jar of marinara into the pot and placed it on the stove.

She turned and leaned against the counter, "You've been at training?"

"Yeah," he shrugged one shoulder, "I got bored. This vacation feels more like I'm in hiding."

She nodded, "I know how you feel."

For the past two days she had been quietly going stir-crazy in her tiny apartment. Loki hadn't visited her either and that only added to her restlessness. She hated the fact that she had laid in bed every night, waiting for him to show up. Suddenly, Natasha was pissed at herself. She shouldn't have to wait for him, let alone any man. _Any god_, she corrected herself. She was the fucking Black Widow. She might not be alive tomorrow with all the people who were out to kill her. She didn't have the time or the patience to sit and twiddle her thumbs until Fury gave her the go-ahead to get back to work either.

She grabbed two pot-holders, and dumped the pasta into the strainer in the sink, "Let's go out tonight."

He picked out a noodle and popped it in his mouth, "What?"

"After dinner, we should go out to a bar or something."

His brow furrowed, "Natasha…what are you talking about?"

"We are officially missing from SHIELD, remember? Why don't we go be plain old civilians, just for a night?"

Clint grinned at her, "Okay! But no accidental hits."

"I'm insulted!" Natasha exclaimed, pushing herself up so she could sit on the counter.

Clint laughed and he ruffled her short hair, "I'm serious. No snapping anyone's neck or provoking fights because you won't stop hitting on some chick's boyfriend."

"Hey, that's only happened once."

He rolled his eyes at her, "I think we may be adrenaline junkies, Nat."

She massaged her side, "I'm not denying it."

Clint stuck his finger in the sauce, and sucked the marinara off his finger, "Dinner's ready," he announced, "Fuck, I'm starving."

Natasha hopped off the counter and retrieved two plates, "Eat up, baby, we've got places to go."

* * *

Loki was laying in his bed, reviewing every secret entrance to Asgard that he knew of. There were about six from Earth, three from Jotunheim, four from Muspelheim, and so on. With the Bifrost broken, Heimdall was placed as a guard to the Palace entrance, so that meant that Thanos had walked right in through the front door. Thanos wasn't exactly subtle. He wanted all of Asgard to know he had blatantly broken in. Everyone was going to think Loki had aided Thanos. Thor was quick to believe in Loki's innocence, but Loki doubted that anyone else would.

He groaned in frustration. It had been a remarkably long day.

Time moved much slower on Asgard than it did on Midgard; a few days must have passed on Earth since he last visited his mortal. He got up from his bed, and conjured a shimmering double in his place. All of Asgard must have been asleep by now, and he desperately needed to see Natasha. He transformed his Asgardian clothing into a plain pair of mortal jeans, white shirt, and leather jacket.

He slowly opened his door, and with no one in sight, he made his way to the palace gardens. Behind an indistinct ash tree on the south end was the closest portal to Earth. Loki stood still by the tree, eyes closed in concentration, and when he next opened his eyes he was in a dark New York alley. He smiled to himself, once more appreciative that his sorcery could transport him so closely to Natasha's home. He blinked again, and found himself in her bedroom.

Her empty bedroom.

He glanced at her clock. It was almost one in the morning for her. He searched her apartment, finding the rest of it devoid of his spy. She was supposed to be on leave from SHIELD. She should have been home. He stood in her kitchen and looked around. There two plates in the sink.

"How odd," he murmured. Then he spotted them: a pair of dark, particularly masculine sunglasses on the kitchen table. Loki picked them up delicately, and he remembered exactly who they belonged to. _Exactly_.

Loki crushed the dark glasses in his palm, shattering them to pieces. He let the plastic shards fall to the floor. She was with Barton. Loki slumped to the kitchen floor, his heart constricting painfully. Natasha was so stupid. She claimed to be platonic with her fellow agent, but Loki knew of their past. He knew precisely how Barton had turned her to the glorious, golden light of Nick Fury. Loki also knew that Barton was still desperately in love with Natasha.

_Love_. Loki felt his throat close up. He was jeopardizing everything to visit Natasha right now. If he was caught missing from his quarters, even Thor would assume Loki was aiding Thanos pry the Infinity Gauntlet off of Odin's hand. He was risking his innocence, and that paired with the jealousy that simmered in the pit of his stomach meant only one thing. He loved the Black Widow as well.

So this is what is meant to be weak. He felt shame crawl over his skin. He was completely at the mercy of this mortal woman, and she didn't even know it.

Suddenly, the front door of the apartment opened and slammed shut. Natasha was home.

She noisily kicked off her boots at the door, and when she staggered into the kitchen she gasped at the sight of him crumpled on the floor.

"Loki? What's wrong?" she stumbled over to him.

The smell of vodka accosted him, "You've been out drinking with Barton."

It wasn't a question.

"We were bored," she said as he stood.

"Having some fun, were you?" he spat.

Natasha stepped back, "What the fuck, Loki? You're mad at me for leaving this shithole of an apartment?"

"No," he said menacingly, "I'm livid. You have no idea what occurs outside your perfect mortal realm, do you? I have risked everything to be here!"

"You wouldn't be pissed at me if I had gone out with someone else, would you?" she scoffed.

He rolled his shoulders, "I don't play well with others."

"Quit being so jealous. It's not attractive," she folded her arms and leaned against the archway of the kitchen.

"Don't scold me, Natasha!" he shouted at her, "Of course I am jealous. I loathe Clint; I envy every fiber of his being, because you are his! You accept no other into your life, but you willingly let him in, only to call him _friend_? It is the most poorly crafted lie. Do you forget that I know everything about you two? I know _every_ _detail_. Do you know that when I discovered you gone with him, my mind went to the darkest, foulest place? The thought of you together sickens me. He still loves you! He still pines for you! You cannot be blind to it."

"No I'm not blind to it. But he accepts that 'friends' is all I am willing to give to him. Are you really that insecure that you can't see what I've done for you? You think I haven't let you in?" Natasha watched as Loki visibly shook with anger, "I'm not here at your fucking beck-and-call, Loki. I had a life before you, and I aim to maintain it, with or without you. I won't change for anybody. If you want me at all, you have to accept what paths I have already chosen."

"Of course I am insecure," Loki whispered, his green eyes swirled to red, and then back again, "I have been denied everything I have ever wanted in my life. It would only make sense for you fall into that pattern as well."

Natasha's head swam, from Loki's words or the vodka, she wasn't quite sure. She strode up to Loki, and gripped his chin, forcing him to look down into her eyes, "Then let me clarify this for you, you stupid fucking god. If you agree to leave my life and my friends alone, then you can have me."

Loki's eyes shot up in surprise, "Do not toy with me, Natasha."

"I'm not. You can have me, all of me."

"You swear you will be only mine, no one else's?" his arms snaked around her waist, pulling her close.

"For a demi-god who boasts about his intelligence, you can be pretty dense, Loki. I've been yours since we met in Russia. I swear," and she sealed her promise with a kiss.


	9. Chapter 9

_Okay, so here we are where we left off! Not gonna lie, there is some a lot of fluff in this chapter, but there is also some violent and graphic descriptions. Also, lots of smut and profanity, etc. You've been warned. Thanks for reading!_

* * *

Natasha's hands slithered underneath Loki's shirt, touching his abs lightly, teasing him. She removed his shirt and jacket; her limbs wound around him as he lifted her up and set her on the counter.

The taste of vodka was strong, but Loki was becoming intoxicated from a different source. He peeled off her blouse, trailing harsh, wet kisses over her neck and collarbones. Fingers clawed at belt buckles and tugged at hair, leaving scratches in each other's skin.

Loki whispered her name, and she lifted her ass so he could pull down her pants and underwear. She unzipped his jeans and pushed them down over his hips, her feet pushing the material farther down his legs.

He thrust into her roughly, and Natasha arched her back into the cabinet behind her. A guttural moan escaped her lips, she felt so full in that moment. Her head knocked back against the cabinet door, and she heard glasses and cups clink together noisily. Loki grunted into the curve of her neck. The pace was quick and rough and desperate, and Loki's heart twisted when Natasha moaned his name.

"Not yet, my love," he murmured. Natasha's eyes shot open as he pulled out of her, and she couldn't help but whimper at the loss of him.

He picked her up and laid her down on the kitchen table. The cheap wood was cool against her skin.

The legs of the table scraped against the floor loudly, and Natasha's moans were beginning to sounds like wails, "Shh, my little spider," Loki growled above her, "You're going to wake the neighbors."

She was so close, Natasha felt the muscles in her legs begin to tighten, the heat in her belly spreading…

"Open your eyes, Natasha," Loki whispered, "I want to see you."

Her eyes locked with his for but a moment, but it was too much for her. She squeezed her eyes shut as her head fell back against the table. She came undone, "Ahh!" The way she gripped his arms like they were the only thing that was keeping her on Earth drove Loki crazy. Two more thrusts and he was spent. He collapsed on top of her, his ear against her rapidly beating heart.

Natasha's breaths were loud and raspy in her ears, "Loki," she gasped, "Bed," she ran her fingers through his silky black hair.

"Hmm?"

"Take me to bed. I'm exhausted."

He laughed then, his hot breath sending tingles across her skin, "You are mine now. You have not even begun to grasp the meaning of exhausted."

* * *

Natasha's lips hovered just a hairsbreadth away from Loki. His Adam's apple bobbed in nervousness, and now it was her turn to smile wickedly. She giggled at him.

"You dare laugh at me, mortal?" he said just before he sealed his lips to hers. It lasted less than a second before Natasha pulled away and rolled off the bed.

Loki couldn't hide his alarm as she fell to the floor with a loud thump, "Natasha! Are you okay?" he asked as she laughed hysterically from the carpet.

He climbed to the side of the bed where she fell and watched her wipe tears from her eyes. He laughed at the sight of her, "You cannot escape me!" he said as he knelt on her bed.

She opened her eyes and sprang up, sprinting to the living room, her laughs echoing in her path as she ran away from him. Loki watched her bottom as she ran out the bedroom door, and rolled off the bed with and exasperated groan to follow her.

As he entered the living room, all was silent. He searched the bright room for any traces of her, noticing how different her home looked in the stark, white light of day. She had very few possessions and only the minimal amount of furniture. Just enough so that her home looked typical if anyone entered it. It was just another facet to the mask she wore.

Then he heard the softest padding of feet from the kitchen. Loki grinned and stalked after her, "I hear you little spider."

As he entered the archway to the kitchen, he saw the last wisps of red hair fly around the opposite corner, and he sprinted after her. She was too slow as he wrapped his arms around her from behind, lifting her off the floor.

"Ah! Ha ha! Careful! I'm still healing! Let me go! Lemme go!" she laughed and kicked as he held her tightly against his body.

He laughed with her as he flew her over his shoulder like a sack of flour and walked back to her bedroom. She slapped his naked butt, "Put me down!"

"Never!"

He tossed her onto the bed and pinned her to the mattress, "Now stay put!" he demanded as he began to kiss her cheeks. He felt his happiness swell when he realized that she wore no mask when she was with him. Not even Barton had seen her this way. He trailed sweet kisses down the pale column of her throat. Her giggles turned into soft sighs as he cupped her tits, fitting the palms of his hands perfectly, his thumbs flicking her nipples.

"Loki," she gasped.

"Hmm?" he hummed into the curved of her neck, marking her skin. _She was his._

She clawed at his scalp, pulling his hair back so he would gaze into her eyes, "Below the neck, please!"

"Too late, my love. Everyone knows now."

* * *

Natasha stepped out of the shower, wrapping a towel around her, "So wait, your saying that this glove or whatever can bend time and space _and reality_?"

"Yes," Loki said squeezing the water out of his hair, "But the more important question is why Thanos didn't kill Odin."

Natasha handed Loki a towel, "Have you thought about if the Tessaract and the Gauntlet are connected?"

"I don't see how they could be. They are from opposite corners of the multiverse, created and collected by different species."

"Couldn't Thanos have killed Odin and taken the glove?"

"No. Thor says if the person wearing the gauntlet dies, then the gauntlet will disappear. It is part of its power; it protects itself from being stolen."

"Then maybe Thanos still needs the cube. Maybe he needs it to get the glove off of Odin. You said its magic won't let anyone remove it, right?"

Loki froze, eyes wide, "Why did I not see it before!" he rushed into her bedroom, trailing wet footprints on the carpet.

"What is it?"

He threw his boots on her bed, "Thanos left after he spoke to me. That means he saw the Gauntlet on Odin _before_ he stuck his spear in my throat. You're right," he cupped her face between his hands, brushing a wet curl behind her ear, "You beautiful, smart, genius woman. At first Thanos wanted the Tessaract to wreak havoc on your mortal world, but now that he can see the Infinity Gauntlet before him, he wants it back _desperately_. The Tessaract! He needs it to remove the glove from Odin's hand. It's the only reason he let both of us live."

His eyes softened as he placed a sweet kiss on her flushed lips, "I have to go speak to Thor. I am sorry to leave you," he went and gathered his clothes from the kitchen, which had transformed back to their Asgardian origins.

She tightened her towel around her, suddenly sad that he was leaving.

When he reentered her bedroom, he was not prepared to see the blank look on her face. Her silence was deafening. He gripped her chin, "Natasha look at me. I will come back as soon as I can. Do not be melancholy," he kissed her again, "You're the first person who has accepted me with all my flaws. I'm addicted."

He disappeared with a sad smile.

* * *

Loki dropped his pile of clothes on his bed. He went to grab fresh ones when he turned around and smashed directly into solid armor.

"I knew I couldn't trust you," Sif stood with her arms crossed, an I-told-you-so look plastered across her face.

Loki grabbed his underwear and pulled them on, "To what do I owe the pleasure, Lady Sif?"

"Do not jest with me, Loki. Where were you? With Thanos?"

"You don't understand," he felt the over-used phrase fall flat from his lips and flop like a dying fish on the floor

She strode purposefully to the door, "Once a traitor, always a traitor."

"Sif! Let me explain! I know Thanos' plan!"

She whirled on him, "Do you have no loyalties? You betray us for Thanos, and now you turn on the titan!"

"No! I am faithful to Asgard!"

"Then where were you, Loki?"

He had no choice. He could not risk being thrown out of Asgard, stripped of his power like Thor had been, "I was on Midgard."

Sif roared with laughter, "Your silver tongue has left you!"

Loki shuffled, reminded of the times that Thor and his friends had laughed at him as a boy, "My tongue is as sharp as ever, you stupid warrior! I…I was with a woman."

Sif stiffened, "You were with a mortal?"

"Yes."

"How do I know you speak truth?"

"I was with Natasha Romanoff."

"The spy? The woman that is a part of Thor's Avenger heroes?"

"The very same," Loki felt heat creep up his neck, "You must tell no one. Not Fandral or Hogun. Not Frigga."

Sif backed Loki against the wall, "You love her? Is this the reason you came back to Asgard as a willing prisoner?"

Loki shrugged and couldn't help but grin, "Partly. We met long before Midgard became a war zone."

Sif reeled, "You've been to Earth before?"

"Countless times. It was a safe haven for me. To watch the mortals so invested in their own lives… It made me forget my jealousy."

Sif gripped his hand, "You are crawling with secrets, Loki, yet you are so like your brother. You both have fallen for mortal women. Your mother would be glad to hear it."

"She cannot know. Natasha," Sif ginned when Loki said the name, "she was the first one to spot my disloyalty the Chitauri. She was the one who discovered my true plans to return to Asgard. I cannot have her involved in Thanos' schemes."

"This is the most honest farce you have ever created," Sif placed her fist over her heart and bowed slightly, "I swear to you, I will not reveal your secret Prince Loki."

There was a knock on the door, and Hogun opened the door to Loki's room.

They were quite a sight: Loki cornered against the wall by Lady Sif, only in his underwear.

Hogun kept his gaze on the floor and cleared his throat, "Uh. Thor wants to see you, Loki."

Sif slapped Loki, "Damn you and your lies!" she boomed before storming out of his room.

Hogun looked at Loki, and Loki grinned sheepishly, "It's exactly what it looks like."

* * *

"That makes more sense," Thor stroked his beard, "You have been thinking hard, brother."

Loki sat with Thor on the steps to the treasure room. Loki had told Thor about Thanos' plans, silently scanning all of the objects who called the room home. He wondered what other mysterious items Odin held captive here without revealing their true origins.

"Does it not grate you how many lies Odin has surrounded himself with? Do you not care at all?"

Thor shrugged, "The Allfather had good intentions. He was wise not to include us. Some stories are not for children's ears."

Loki groaned in exasperation, "But we are not children anymore, Thor. Odin was going to present you as the crown prince and not even tell you what your future kingdom would hold? What you would be responsible for?"

"I would still have accepted the role."

Loki ran his hand through his hair, "I know."

"So what do we do now?"

"Do you believe that the Tessaract could destroy the glove as well?"

"We won't know until we try."

"Loki," Thor wrung his hands, not knowing how to broach the subject, "I know you have long resented me. I know I am the sole reason you attacked Midgard. I have forgiven you for all this, I just want for things to return to normal. But… but you have broken my trust, brother. How do I know you won't deceive me once more and steal the gauntlet for yourself? How do I know you are truly sorry for what you've done? So many mortal lives…"

Loki clasped his hands, "I knew you would ask this. I have no evidence to give you to prove myself worthy."

"You said that Thanos darkened your mind?"

Loki chuckled darkly, "You think your mortals have suffered? I cannot even begin to tell you what tortures I've been through."

"Then try, brother."

Loki paused, choosing his next words carefully, "Thanos. He showed me all he was capable of. He heard my every thought, watched my every move for what felt like years. His soldiers carved magic into my skin that hurt even more as it came undone. He put images inside my head, so powerful that I didn't know truth from falsity. I watched myself kill you a thousand times. I saw _you,_ clear as day in front of me, as you sliced Frigga into pieces. I felt your skin beneath mine as I tried to stop you from crushing Sif's bones with Mjolnir," _I watched myself choke Natasha until her lips turned blue_, "I did not just endure physical abuse," he shuddered.

Thor pulled Loki close to him wrapping him up like when Loki had nightmares as a child in the night, "I realized how foolish my crimes were. I realized that I had abandoned you as a consequence of my volatile, self-indulgent tantrums. I knew then that I would follow through on any plan and obey any orders to ensure that you would stay away from me and all my wickedness. Thanos is a more masterful manipulator than I. He must be stopped. We have to kill him."

Behind them, Frigga and Volstagg walked by. Both pretended not to see the brothers.


	10. Chapter 10

_Natasha was walking. She didn't quite know where but something told her that she had to open the door at the end of the dark hall. The darkness was strange. It was so dark she shouldn't have been able to see anything, but she recognized that she was in sub-basement seven at SHIELD. There were no agents guarding the door, no security checkpoint set up at all._

_ This was wrong. She touched the tiny bud in her ear, "We have a breach. Code thirteen, B7."_

_ No one answered her. There was only static. _

_ Unbuckling her gun from its holster and aiming it in front of her, she finally reached the door. It opened slowly and soundlessly. She was not prepared for what she saw._

_ It was Loki, sitting crossed legged on the floor surrounded by a small halo of light. His elbows rested on his knees, and he held his head in his hands. He was blue, with dark writing and symbols engraved into his skin. He looked up at her, eyes crimson._

_ Switching off the safety, she pointed her gun at him, a sickly feeling growing inside her. His hair was shorter and he was bleeding from his lip, tears mixing with the blood as they dripped onto his boots. She cocked the pistol._

_ A dark, ghostly figure materialized out of nowhere, and kicked Loki in the head. As soon as they touched, the figure was gone. Natasha fell back into the shadows, holding her breath so as not to be found. The god didn't even flinch as he fell to his side and another figure emerged shrouded in a fine purple mist. Natasha tried to shoot at it, but she found her mag was empty._

_ The purple form solidified, picked Loki up by his scruff, and held him high in the air. The figure stabbed Loki in the ribs and then let him fall to the ground. Whatever he had stuck Loki with was causing the god to seize. Loki was shaking and shuddering into the fetal position on the floor. As soon as the mist dissipated away Natasha rushed to Loki, kneeling besides him, holding his head in her lap as she watched him stop breathing. _

"Loki!" Natasha sat up in her bed, jolted awake by her own shouting. She felt in the bed around her, finding her God of Mischief absent.

She turned her beside lamp on. _It was just a dream. It was just a dream_. She touched the pulse point on her wrist, measuring her accelerated heart rate. She swore she had held his head in her hands. It felt so real, like the time Loki had visited in her dreams before…

Yet, she was sure Loki wouldn't have wanted her to dream anything like that. Maybe he didn't send her the message on purpose. _Flashback_, her mind whispered. Loki had accidentally sent her a flashback of his own, and it had mingled with her dream.

* * *

Loki had started to doze in the chair next to Odin's casket. But Loki wasn't asleep any longer. He had fallen asleep thinking of his mortal, yet he his dreams had once again turned to Thanos.

Unless he slept in Natasha bed, he always dreamt of Thanos. She was his only balm.

Lady Sif entered Odin's room then, and sat across from Loki, "You look troubled, prince."

Loki sighed, rubbing his eyes, "I just had the most exhausting talk with Thor."

"You look like you could use some rest."

"I cannot."

"Can't sleep without your love?"

Loki's eyes shot up, "I never said I loved her."

Sif rolled her eyes, a goofy grin spreading across her face, "Loki, you wouldn't just sneak off to Midgard for a mortal woman whom you just _liked_."

"You don't know anything about me, Sif."

"I grew up with you, Loki. I know you well enough. Go on. I will cover for you."

Loki laughed, "Since when did you take my place as Asgard's most talented liar?"

"All I will tell them you have gone to your room and do not wish to be disturbed."

He stood then, and stole one last glance as Odin, "Alright. I will return later."

As Loki strode out of the room, Sif smiled, her skin shimmering with a fine purple haze.

* * *

Loki landed in the alley behind Natasha's apartment building and the first thing he saw was her walking by, her red hair catching the daylight.

"Natasha!"

She turned and recognized him immediately, "Oh god!" she rushed towards him and jumped into his arms, splattering kisses all over his face.

He wrapped her up and held her close, "What is it? What's the matter?"

She stepped back, her face turning from relieved to infuriated in a split-second, "Fuck you!" she made to slap him, but he caught her wrist, "Fuck you and your god-damn shitty dream projections! You scared the shit out of me!"

He held her at an arm's length, "Contain your wrath! I didn't send you anything."

"Yes you fucking did! Let me go," she pulled away from him, "Do you realize I worried about you all day? I am not used to caring about people and their fucking safety. You made me worry about Clint once, and I thought that would be the last time!" She fixed her t-shirt and crossed her arms.

He felt a blush creep up his neck. _The only thing he could have possibly sent her_…"What did you see?"

"I saw the shit get beat out of you! You had a fucking seizure in my arms."

"Enough with the profanities!" he snapped.

"Don't do it again!"

"It was an accident! I did not realize we were thusly connected."

"Hey! Are you okay, lady?" a man shouted from the opening of the alley at them.

She whirled, "I'm fine! Piss off!"

She turned back to Loki and he was trying to suppress a smirk.

"Stop smiling, it's not funny."

He threw his back and roared, a deep, full laugh, "I apologize. You are such a delight when you're angry."

Natasha playfully punched him in the stomach, "You better change your clothes," she warned. She watched, unimpressed, as he transformed his clothing into the same mortal outfit as before.

She went and hugged him, "You're forgiven, but you really scared me. I have no way to contact you. I have no way to check up on you. Not everybody has the power to jump through the universe at will."

Loki kissed her hair, "I prefer it that way. I would be in trouble much more often if you were able to track me down."

She sighed, "I have to ask. What I saw really happened to you, didn't it?"

"Thanos and the Other can make anyone a willing participant in their schemes."

"Can you try to see it from my perspective, though? What if you watched that happen to me? What if you watched me go unconscious and stop breathing and then you had to wait almost a whole day for me to show up again?"

Loki shook with anger, "I see what you mean," he released her and took her hand to lead them out onto the street, "This is getting serious."

"What is? Thanos?"

"No. Us. We've not known each other long, but we are connected. I care more for you than any other."

"Ah. Yeah, I guess serious is a good desciption."

Loki tilted his head, "Would you like your friends to know about us?"

Natasha froze, "Um, what? No!"

"No?"

"Wouldn't that be a bad idea?"

"Perhaps at the present. But when this mess is all cleaned up, I do not want to have to hide you."

She eyed him, "Who knows?"

Loki chuckled, "I rue the day when I actually have to lie to you."

She waited.

"Lady Sif discovered me when I returned last time."

"You told her the truth?" They started walking again.

"I had to. Where are we going?"

"Home. I just had dinner with Bruce and Tony."

"Oh. Not Clint?"

"He may have been there. Maybe."

Natasha opened the door to her building, "Barton is not like me. His location is a solid, definable thing," Loki pouted.

She smiled sweetly at him before ascending the stairs, "_May-bee_." Loki scowled at her.

When they reached her door, she unlocked it and they stepped inside. Natasha had just stepped over the threshold when suddenly Loki grabbed her waist, slammed the door shut, and threw her against it, sealing his lips to hers.

Natasha gasped for air as Loki assaulted her senses, his fingers running through her short hair and down her the sides of her face. He gripped her hands and pinned them above her, their fingers intertwining.

"Jesus," she sighed as his mouth traveled down her neck.

"My name is Loki," he reminded her. He kissed the tender dark blotch he had left on her neck the day before, "Did your friends notice my little mark?"

"I told them I got frisky at the bar the other night with a guy named Chris."

He growled, "You're mine," his eyes bored into hers, "Next time, you will tell them so."

Natasha wriggled against him, "I like keeping you a secret."

He kissed her lightly on her forehead, "You're the first thing I've ever earned. I can be proud of you. Why not let the multiverses know?"

"Not yet. And technically, I propositioned you at that gala in Moscow. So _actually_ you're mine," she grinned, eyes sparkling.

Loki traced her bottom lip with his thumb, "You only have one life, Natasha. Let's not waste it with technicalities…"

There was a faint humming coming from Natasha's pocket. Loki reached in and pulled out her phone.

"Oh!" she grabbed it from his hand and looked at the screen. She answered, "Agent Romanoff."

It was Nick Fury. Loki could hear the man's deep grumble from the earpiece.

Loki grinned wickedly, and began to trace her neck lightly with his fingers, sending sparks across her skin.

"What happened, sir?" Natasha asked.

Loki's tongue replaced his finger.

"How did he escape?" She shuddered silently had he tilted her head to nip at the soft spot behind her ear, "Someone blasted the entire prison?"

Loki stepped back and slowly knelt down on the floor in front of Natasha. Her eyes flew wildly to him, but she couldn't say anything. Fury probably wouldn't appreciate Loki being in the room with her.

Loki unbuttoned her jeans and pushed them down to her ankles. Natasha pulled his hair, trying to get him to stop undressing her and stand back up, but he wouldn't budge.

"Okay. Sure I'll come in!"

Loki placed a kiss on Natasha mound through her underwear; his lips were warm and wet. Natasha quivered as Loki ran his finger under the elastic band, tearing her thong into two pieces. Loki smiled to himself as his tongue delved between Natasha's folds

Natasha closed her eyes and nodded, trying to focus on Fury's monotone speech through the phone, "Okay, sir! Why don't you just brief me when I get there?"

Fury just wouldn't stop talking.

"I'll be there in the morning!" she shouted into the phone as Loki's tongue darted over her clit. She hung up and threw the horrendous device across the room. It landed with a soft thud on her couch.

Natasha leaned her head back against the door, eyes closed. They were going to sleep good tonight.


	11. Chapter 11

_Here's a nice, long chapter for you all! Please tell me what you think about this, I'm itching to know what you guys think about how this chapter unfolds. Thanks for reading, I LOVE YOU._

* * *

Natasha yawned and stretched before she got out of bed. Loki was snoring softly in her bed, his ass barely covered by the sheets.

In the closet she found a casual black dress, her black bra, and a new pair of (unbroken) underwear. She took a hurried shower, trying to be quiet so as not to wake the demi-god. When she emerged, freshly washed and all hickeys covered in makeup, she noticed that Loki had thrown his arm over her pillow and pulled it closer to him. Natasha's breath caught in her throat as she took in the sight of _fucking Loki Laufeyson_ tangled in her sheets with messy hair and morning scruff. The dark circles under his eyes were fading. He mustn't have slept since the last time he stayed over.

She slipped on a pair of nude heels and grabbed her phone and keys. He was beginning to stir, so Natasha left quickly, closing the door as quietly as possible.

There was a black SHIELD town car waiting outside her apartment. She opened the back door and slid in. The driver was asleep, using the window as a pillow.

"Wake up, Marshall," Natasha poked him in the neck.

"WHA—" he woke with a start.

"How long have you been waiting for me?"

"Fury sent me at the crack of dawn," he yawned and turned the ignition, the car humming to life.

"Sorry about that. So what's the big deal? Am I officially out of hiding now?"

"I'm not authorized to know. But no, you and the rest of the Avengers Initiative are still missing."

Natasha looked out the window as they drove by Stark Tower, "Except Tony," she reminded him.

The drive was short; Natasha's apartments were always less than fifteen minutes away from the SHIELD bases. She smiled to herself. She wondered if Loki knew about her apartments in California and Luxembourg. She mentally scanned the condo in Mexico. That would be fun. _So many undefiled surfaces…_

They pulled up to the nondescript, grey building, and Natasha stepped out. Marshall made no move to park the car, "Aren't you coming in?" she asked through his window.

"I don't get to be your partner on this one. I'm supposed to go check on Jane Foster. Lost contact with her or something. I bet she's just deep down in her lab and hasn't realized what day it is again," he explained, and Natasha got the feeling that Marshall had found Jane like that a few times, "Last time was fun, though. You're the first person I've ever heard talk in their sleep," he grinned and sped off.

Natasha felt the blood drain from her face as her mortification threatened to drag her down into the sewer. _Well how fucking wonderful_. She never, ever talked in her sleep_. _Yet, once again, Loki was the exception to the rule. _The dirty dream on the plane_, she thought. She rubbed her forehead, if Marshall heard, then the whole first class cabin had heard too.

"Shrug it off," she whispered to herself. She turned and went inside, scanned her hand at the lobby security checkpoint, and was led by a small blonde woman up to the fortieth floor and into Nick Fury's office.

"Would you like anything to drink, Agent Romanoff?" the woman asked.

"Vodka tonic," the woman raised her eyebrows at Natasha. "Please," she added and the woman left.

Natasha sat down in the chair in front of Fury's desk, and waited.

The door opened and someone strode up behind her. Fury held out a tumbler full of a bubbling clear liquid, "Bit early to be drinking, isn't it Natasha?"

She took the cup and downed it in a few gulps, "It's not every day you have to report back to work less than a month after a universal catastrophe."

"Point taken. I wouldn't have called you in if I thought you wouldn't want to know about it," he sat down behind his desk and pulled out a file folder from the bottom left drawer. He set it in front of him.

"You remember we cleaned up Oleg and his crew after you went to obtain Banner. Well, they were tried and sentenced for purchasing weapons from, aiding, and abetting Stefano Rodobuck. They even led us to Rodobuck's warehouses in returned for the chance at parole in thirty years."

"Funny how you punish others for amassing deadly weapons, but you still haven't slapped yourself on the wrist."

"Bad idea to drink on an empty stomach," Fury snapped. He took a deep breath, "The point is Oleg and his buddies have escaped. I called you immediately after."

"Right, that's what you said on the phone. You want me to go get them back?" She was confused. She didn't care at all about them escaping, it wasn't her problem. She put them in prison once; it wasn't her job to keep them there.

"No. But you might be interested in who let them out," Nick pulled out a picture from the folder and handed it to her.

It was a security camera image, blurry and pixelated. There was a hole blasted in a prison wall, and police officers scattered lifeless on the ground. Oleg and six men behind him were following someone through the prison yard. It was a tall, curvy woman dressed in a black leather cat suit. Her face was blurry, but she had short, bright red hair.

"That's me."

"It's _supposed_ to look like it was you. We know better."

She rolled her eyes, "Obviously. You know I haven't left Manhattan," she handed the picture back to him, "What have you gathered?"

"That someone is using Oleg to lure you in. We sent some agents in your stead three days ago."

Natasha laughed, "It's nice to know that life goes on. You think you guys would be depleted of agents after all the shit you just went through."

Fury scowled at her, "Life will always go on."

She waved her hand, "Whatever. What did the agents find?"

"They didn't. They're missing. Presumed dead," He handed her another picture, another security photo of four agents entering a red brick building, "This is the last time we had communication with them."

"Oh."

"Yeah. Oh," he rolled his eye, "Looks like whoever is impersonating you, wants to see you and you only."

"So you're going to pull me from my 'vacation' to send me into an obvious trap?"

"I'm pulling you _and_ Barton. And don't be such a martyr, I know you're bored. You and Barton are itching for a mission. He's been here every day bitching about it."

"I though you said this guy wanted me only?"

"You need a partner, and Barton's complaining is getting on my last nerve. Besides, you have unfinished business now with Oleg. You wouldn't want a blemish of your track record."

She smiled, "Okay, you got me."

The door opened, and Natasha turned to see Clint stride inside in full gear, "You ready, baby?"

Natasha stood and smoothed out her dress, "Finally a little excitement around here," she groaned sarcastically.

* * *

Loki woke, his head groggy and heavy, a headache pounding at his temple. He looked around for Natasha but she was gone. It was late evening on Midgard.

He rubbed his neck. That meant it was almost morning on Asgard. He had to hurry back. Throwing on his clothes he exited his lover's apartment and strode back to the alley where he had entered the day before.

He closed his eyes and focused, and when he opened them again he was standing in the grove of ash trees in the palace gardens.

The Asgard Sun was rising from the horizon. He quickly transported to his room, everything was in order, the door closed. He went to open it, but it was locked. He teleported to the other side, and found the hallway empty. He checked Thor's room, and it was empty as well, the bed neatly made.

It was incredibly silent.

Loki walked quietly to the main sitting room. Fandrall, Hogun, and Volstagg were sitting on a lounge, their eyes closed.

Loki stopped dead in his tracks. Thor was tied with what looked like black smoke to Frigga, and they were sitting on the floor in front of the fire pit. Tears were streaming down Frigga's face. Their mouths were gagged by tufts of black smoke. Thor looked feverishly to Loki, eyes pleading.

Lady Sif was splayed out on the floor, her jaw slack and black smoke covering her eyes.

A tall, slender, hooded black figure stood in the center of the room, long hands placed on what were the figure's hips. The same black haze surrounded it. The being lowered their hood, and Loki was introduced to the most beautiful, pale face he had ever seen. It was a woman, with bright, almond shaped eyes, full red lips and sharp cheekbones.

"_Prince Loki, you are very late to the party_," a delicate, high pitched voice entered his mind, but the woman's mouth didn't move.

"Who are you?"

"_I am Death, Thanos' lover and the personification of life's end_."

"Thanos' lover?" Loki stepped back.

Thanos entered across the room, "Prince Loki!" He strutted over to him, stepping on Lady Sif's hand with a nauseating crunch, "Welcome back! How was your visit to the mortal? See," he waved his hand over Thor and Frigga, "I swore that I would keep your secret! Your Lady Sif's appearance has proven most useful. Such a delight to impersonate! Everyone tells her everything!"

Loki felt himself chill, he felt his skin fade blue as his anger traveled through him. Thanos removed his golden helmet, and sat on the floor next to Death, "I see you have met my muse," his red eyes raked the woman standing next to him, "She is the only reason I have bothered with you, Loki. My friend, sit!" he commanded. Loki made to take another step back, but Death's black mist ghosted over to him and smoky black tendrils wrapped around his ankles. They felt heavy; it left like lead weights encompassed him.

"_No, my dear_," Death said, fisting her hand by her side and causing the bonds to fly forward and send Loki crashing down to the floor.

Thanos laughed, his purple skin crinkling around his eyes, "Oh, Prince Loki. Always full of mischief!"

Death stepped forward and raked her claw-like fingers through Loki's hair, pulling his head up off the floor, "_Look at him_," she whispered.

Loki swallowed, "How exactly did you keep your lover a secret from me, Thanos?"

Thanos grinned, "I didn't. You just never asked."

"I wasn't given much chance to speak, let alone inquire about your personal life," Loki grunted.

The Titan nodded, "True words, true words. Let me explain something to you, stupid prince. Your precious daddy has cost me much. I created the Infinity Gauntlet to impress the glorious woman in front of you, but Odin stole it from me!" he growled, "We fought for it many times, until Odin claimed to have destroyed it! The liar!"

Death pulled Loki up even further so that he was kneeling, and she stepped away from him. Thanos sighed, "I lost the chance to impress my love, _my obsession_…I was bereft of her, she had left me alone in the darkness. I was despondent for what felt like eons…and then you fell, literally, into my lap! Your hatred for your brother and for Earth fueled me. You spoke of the Tessaract, of how Thor had left it in the care of the mortals! I finally had the chance to win Death's heart." Thanos laughed, his deep voice booming, "It was supposed to be easy. But you failed!

"I came here to slit your throat, to punish you for humiliating me, but then I saw the Infinity Gauntlet on Odin's hand, and I almost cried I was so overjoyed."

"Yes, but you can't remove it without the Tessaract!" Loki spat.

Thanos smiled, "Yes. Where is my present, Prince Loki? Where is it, the cube you are supposed to deliver to me?"

"I don't know."

Death kicked Loki in the side, "_Tell Thanos were his cube lies, Asgardian, or you shall meet the same fate as your friends_."

"Even you, Prince Loki, are a stolen relic. You don't belong here," Thanos waved his hand over the room, "Don't you remember? Odin stole you from Laufey. You are nothing to them! You are _nothing_ more than evidence of Odin's great conquest. You are just as foreign as the Infinity Gauntlet, but you are far less useful! Now tell me where the Tessaract is!"

Thanos' words stung Loki like daggers. Loki felt his skin turn back to normal, "I don't know! No one trusts me with it! Do you honestly believe they would tell me where they hid it? You must be denser than I imagined, Thanos."

Thanos stood, and pulled the puff of black smoke from Thor's mouth, "Is this true, Thor? Do you not trust your brother enough to tell him of the Tessaract? Do you not love him?"

"You are foolish, Thanos. Your search for the Tessaract will be fruitless! No one will ever reveal it to you!"

Thanos squeezed Thor's cheeks, replacing the gag, "Sweet, noble Thor. _I know_ you love your brother. You would hate to see him in pain, wouldn't you? You would hate to see him _suffer_?"

"Beat me all you want, Thanos. I have endured your tortures before!" Loki screamed at him.

Thanos laughed, gripping his stomach as he roared, "You are so right, Loki! How daft of me!" Thanos walked to the fire pit, and waved his hand over it. The fire dimmed and a clear image of a red-brick building replaced the flames, "I thought you would say that. That's why I followed you to Earth! And while you were tumbling in the bed of your mortal lover, I set quite a plan in motion for her," Natasha appeared in the image, a gun in her hands, Barton behind her with an arrow knocked in his bow, "That's why I must leave you now in the care of my mistress. You see, your mortal is coming after me."

Thanos transformed into Natasha and Loki felt his stomach drop, "She is coming after me," Natasha's voice rang out, "Your Natasha Romanoff is coming to investigate her impersonator. And when she finds me, she is in for a great surprise," an evil grin spread across her face and Loki felt his throat close up as his worst nightmare was realized, "No one will be able to save her! Earth's Mightiest Heroes are scattered, Asgard has fallen to my lover's feet!"

"You won't," Loki's voice broke, tears brimming.

Thanos turned back to Thor and transformed into Jane, "Your brother's lover is mortal too, dear Thor. She is on her way to meet your Jane Foster. Jane Foster, whom I kidnapped, bound, and gagged. They are both waiting for me."

Thor closed his eyes and his shoulders slumped in defeat.

Thanos transformed back to himself, his face hurting from how large his smiles were, "Your lovers shall die on this day, unless you reveal the Tessaract to me."

Thanos went and wrapped his large, muscular arms around Death's waist, "Let them mull over my offer, most divine. I shall be back. I have a _date_."


	12. Chapter 12

Natasha and Clint had entered the building exactly how code mandated. They had done everything right. They were being perfect; they were both so relieved to be back a mission that they were careful to do everything correctly.

They hated sitting still, action and adventure was woven into their DNA.

Yet, here they were. Sitting still.

They had entered the building, shouting "clear!" as they checked every room in the building. They had entered the last room on the third floor at the same time to find Jane Foster passed out, bound and gagged lying on her side in the middle of the empty floor.

"Jane!" Clint ran to her, Natasha kept her pistol trained on the woman. Clint pulled the black cloth out of her mouth. It dissipated into smoke when Clint touched it, "What the?" it entered his nostrils and Clint had slumped to the floor with a moan.

That was the last thing Natasha remembered before she was hit from behind and knocked out.

She had woken up with dried blood caked over her eyes. Her wrists were bound and she was sitting against the wall, in the middle of passed out Jane and Clint.

She made to get up but she was too lightheaded and fell back down clumsily.

"Oh, so you're awake now!"

Natasha looked up, and was accosted by her own image. To every last detail, the person before her _was_ her, right down to the small mole on her cheek.

"Don't be rude, say hello!"

Natasha didn't say anything. Her imposter frowned, "You don't like this form? I thought it might intrigue you to come visit me. It has served its purpose," the imposter snapped her fingers and was transformed into Loki.

"Loki?" Natasha gasped.

"Not at all! I thought the image of your lover would get to speak, though. And it has!" He snapped again and turned into a tall purple giant. His skin looked like violet stone, and the man was dressed in gold armor and heavy black boots. His gold helmet outlined his beady red eyes. He smiled, revealing large yellow teeth.

"Thanos," Natasha whispered.

Thanos clapped, his solid hands created a loud boom, "Ha! You are correct, mortal. You are a smart one. Pretty too, I can see why the God of Lies craves your company."

"You have Loki?"

"Yes, my dear. You are going to be my leverage! You see, you and this other woman, your puny lives are worth something to the Princes of Asgard. With your deaths at stake, they will give me my Tessaract."

Clint stirred then, and instantly struggled against his bonds, shouting profanities.

"It's no use, mortal," Thanos walked up to Clint and cupped his chin, "Your bonds are the makings of my mistress, and cannot be removed. She is your Grim Reaper, your figure of Death, and she is unconquerable," Thanos tilted Clint's face, examining him, "You seem of little use to me." Thanos' hand traveled down to grip Clint's neck, cutting of his oxygen.

"Don't!" Natasha screamed, rousing Jane.

Thanos turned to her, confused, "You care for this man? What about Loki?"

"Yes! Please leave him alone!" she rasped. Clint was starting to turn blue.

Jane saw Thanos and started to cry, "Oh my god, Natasha. I thought it was you. I thought you were doing this!" Thanos let go of Clint, who slumped forward taking ragged gasps of air.

Thanos chuckled, "Oh, I bet Prince Loki doesn't like that at all. His mortal cares for another man…"

"Loki doesn't care!" Natasha snapped.

Thanos smiled, "Of course he does, woman. He has been constantly compared to others his entire life. He told me all about it. He _hates_ being second. And now he finally finds a lover, a lover who lasts longer than one night, and he is _still_ second. I bet it grates him, I bet it chafes him down to his _soul_."

He kicked Clint in the stomach, "You may be of use to me after all, mortal."

"Who is this fucker?" Clint whispered to Natasha. She just shook her head.

"What do you want from us?" Jane pleaded.

"Your lives," Thanos bellowed, "Your gods of Asgard think they can save you. But when they reveal the Tessaract to me, your whole planet will be forfeit. The entire universe will die. And Death shall finally be mine."

"They won't tell you where it is. You won't get the Gauntlet," Natasha said menacingly.

Thanos laughed, "You are a well-informed one, aren't you," he went and picked Natasha up by her arm so she was standing, "Since everyone is awake now, we can make our journey! Fear not, it will be a short one," he grabbed Clint's arm as well and pushed him roughly into Natasha, making her even more dizzy than before.

"Stand Jane Foster," Thanos went to help her up, "grab hold of your friends. If you let go you will be lost in the abyss forever," Thanos placed his large hands on Clint and Natasha's shoulders as Jane scrambled to grab Clint, her tied hands gripping his own bonds desperately.

Thanos shimmered and the room when dark as they flew through space and were transported to Asgard.

* * *

They landed in a large stone room. The bright gold light was too much for Natasha and she fell to her knees and vomited. Clint struggled to gain his footing and steady Jane at the same time.

Clint's eyes frantically surveyed the room, his hawk's eyes looking for exits and potential weapons. Thanos stood proudly before them as his spear materialized in his hand. He pointed at Clint and Jane, a silent warning to stay still.

"Disgusting," Thanos muttered as Natasha retched again. He picked her up by her scruff and she yelped as his granite hands bruised her skin.

He set her on her feet, "Stand, mortal!"

She tried to balance in her black heeled boots, and her eyes adjusted to the light. There was a large gold coffin set up in the room with a massive grey-haired old man lying inside it. He had a black patch over his eyes, and Natasha saw a glittering glove on his hand.

"Have you met Odin yet, Natasha Romanoff? I am pleased to introduce you," Thanos sneered, "It's a shame I can't strangle him now. Did you know that when he is in Odinsleep he is as vulnerable as you are? He rests in a mortal state."

"If you kill him you lose the Gauntlet," she wiped her mouth with the back of her wrists.

Thanos patted her head like he would a child, "I'm beginning to like you," he unbound her hands, "Now be a good earthling and run to your Loki."

Natasha spit in his face and Thanos roared. She ducked as Thanos made to grab her hair, and she uppercut his jaw. She swore when her fist connected to his stone face, the rock made her knuckles shatter. She blocked two blows, but wasn't quick enough to parry the punch to her stomach. Falling to her knees, Thanos kicked her face, and Natasha went down, cracking her skull against the floor. Clint roared and pounced on Thanos, jumping on his back and using his bound wrists the strangle him. Thanos easily shook him off and threw him into Jane as she tried to run out of the room, knocking them both down. The ringing sound of somebody's head whacking against the paved stone floor made Natasha flinch.

The room spun as Natasha tried to get back up. Thanos picked her up by the front of her neck, holding her a foot off the ground. Natasha heard Jane checking on Clint across the room, the little scientist saying, "oh my god, oh my god," as she assessed the archer.

"Don't anger me, mortal," Thanos warned.

Natasha dug her nails into Thanos' face, clawing into his purple skin, drawing a strange blue blood from his pores, "I'm not a fucking damsel in distress!" she growled. He threw her away from him, screeching, covering his face with his palms. She landed on her side and rolled back towards him, gripping his ankles with her legs. She twisted her entire body, bringing Thanos down with a harsh thump. She flipped up and stepped onto his neck, her heel digging deep into his throat, "I'm the hero."

Thanos sputtered blood onto her boot when Natasha was suddenly lifted from him and thrown across the room. She hit Odin's coffin and spun away, standing up and backing into a corner. A woman in a black cloak kneeled besides Thanos, patting his neck with what looked like a smoky black cloth.

The woman stood, and Natasha was struck by her ethereal beauty. The woman stalked to Natasha, and Natasha tried to run away but the woman shot the same black cloth at her and it transformed into a cord and wrapped around her ankle, making Natasha fall.

"_Don't think you have bested Thanos, mortal. His wound will barely slow him down_," The woman's lips never moved, but her shrill words shrieked in Natasha's head. Natasha covered her ears, screaming: the wailing voice rang so loud in her mind she couldn't think.

"_I am Death_," the woman squawked, "_Wound Thanos again I shall take your worthless life."_

Death pulled Natasha to her, and Thanos stood, his large hand covering the hole in his neck.

"To Loki," he commanded.

Thanos carried an unconscious Clint into the main sitting room like a ragdoll, with a frightened Jane Foster following him. Behind them, Death strolled through the archway, dragging Natasha by the chord wrapped around her ankle. Natasha clawed at the floor, crying hysterically, and her fingernails broke and bled at the effort. She hurt all over. She had cracked her head twice and she did not appreciate getting thrown around by the Titan and his girlfriend.

"Natasha!" Loki shouted her name when he saw Death drag her into the room. He felt his heart crack as the sight of her. Death ghosted across the room and released his bonds. Loki ran to Natasha's side, pulling her into his lap as Thanos casually dumped Clint next to Sif on the floor.

Jane stood still and stared at Thor. He struggled against his confines a gargled muffling leaked through his gag. The fear in his eyes was overwhelming.

"No, no, no Jane Foster. Please have a seat," Thanos indicated the lounge opposite the Warriors Three, "Move an inch and my mistress with slice your throat." Jane silently obeyed.

A ragged gasp escaped Loki as he assessed the woman in his arms. She was a wreck; her face was caked with dirt and tears, her hair matted down as her own blood seeped out of her skull. She was wearing her cat suit, the leather ripped down her leg and there was a slash across her back.

He grasped her bleeding hands, "You stupid woman, trying to fight a Titan. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry," he chanted.

Thanos went to Thor and once again removed the gag from his mouth. This time he removed Frigga's too, "Do you see your son, Frigga? He weeps for this mortal, and she is not even dead yet! Spare him! Tell me where you hide the Tessaract and I will do no more harm to her."

"Loki, why didn't you tell us?" Frigga whispered, "Why?"

"She's mine! I was only trying to protect her…" he rocked back and forth.

Natasha closed her eyes and tried to shut out the pain.

"You dare kidnap Earth's most valuable humans?" Thor bellowed.

"Insurance," Thanos hissed, punching Thor, "Where is the Tessaract?"

"It's not on Asgard," Thor said, his lip bleeding.

"I didn't ask where it _wasn't_," Thanos groaned.

"Actually, it is," Frigga whispered.

"What!" Thor and Loki said in unison.

Frigga bowed her head, "Heimdall and I moved it after Thanos came last. It's in the dungeons."

Thanos smiled and went to pick up Natasha from Loki's arms.

"No!" Loki shouted.

Thanos kicked him in the face as he held Natasha, "Enough. You are no longer needed. And if you dare moved from this room you will never see your mortal alive again. To the dungeons, my mistress."

Death lifted Frigga with a cloud of black smoke, "_Come, Queen. Show us_."

Natasha's head fell back as Thanos carried her past Odin's room. Her vision was blurry, but as they walked by, she was the only one to notice that Odin was no longer lying in his coffin.

Natasha smiled, a dark chuckle rasping out of her throat, "Rise and shine…"


	13. Chapter 13

_So we pick up where we left off! Thanks for reading and reviewing! I cannot express how much I love you all *tears*_

* * *

"Ah. The mortal is in hysterics," Thanos said as they descended the stairs lower and lower into the heart of the palace.

Natasha lifted her head, "Why didn't you leave me up there?" she slurred.

"_If Frigga is lying, she gets to watch her son's only love die_," Death crooned.

Thanos opened the door to the dungeons, revealing a long row of iron cells, the jail bars glittered. He dumped Natasha on the floor and she landed on her wrist incorrectly, bruising it further.

Death set Frigga down more carefully, the smoke disappearing, "_Reveal it to us_."

Natasha rolled away, holding her arm to her chest. She tried to pinpoint all her injuries but she lost count. She didn't even think she was this beat up after fighting the Chitauri.

"It is hidden. There is vault under the floor, there," Frigga pointed to the third cell on the left.

Thanos stomped over to the iron door, slamming his shoulder into it so that the door fell from the frame, hinges creaking.

"Where!" Thanos screamed.

"Here," said a deep, booming voice. Natasha looked up and saw Odin with his sword, the Infinity Gauntlet sparkling despite the darkness of the dungeon.

Death screeched at the sight of the god, shrinking away from him.

The Titan squeezed his fist around the spear in his hand, "Allfather, welcome to world of the living."

"Be gone, Death, and never show your face here again," Odin merely touched the hem of Death's sleeve with his gloved hand and she evaporated into thin air, "Thanos, you know better…Have I not bested you time and time again? Have you not learned from your mistakes? Leave now in peace! Go after your lover!"

"Where did you send her," Thanos whispered, visibly shaking with anger.

"Banished from the realm and the next!"

Thanos sprinted to Frigga's side, picking her up by her hair, "Tell me where the Tessaract is, Odin, or your wife shall never see the Asgardian Sun again!"

Odin smiled, "It's not down here," he drawled, "Loki didn't learn his tricks from just anyone."

Thanos dropped Frigga and wiped away the trail of blood leaking from hole in his neck, "I will find it. This century or the next, it will be mine."

Odin walked up to Thanos, deflecting Thanos' spear with his sword. Odin gripped Thanos' neck with his gloved hand, "Your search will be fruitless. You are banished, Thanos, to the opposite end of the multiverse, as far from Death and possible. By the time you reunite with her, your Infinity Gauntlet shall be destroyed, forever undone, each jewel turned to dust. This I swear," and with that Thanos vanished.

"Odin!" Frigga stood and ran to him, "I feared you would be in Odinsleep forevermore!" She hugged him, kissing his cheeks, her golden curls falling around his face.

"My wife," he murmured.

Natasha looked away, suddenly feeling awkward, invading their private moment.

Frigga turned and went to Natasha's side, "I am Frigga, Lady Romanoff, Loki's foster mother. Are you alright?"

"Hi," Natasha said as Frigga helped her up, "I'm alive, but I think I'm seriously broken..."

"So, Loki has fallen in love with a mortal. He even tricks himself," Odin sighed, taking Natasha's bloody hand in both of his, "How like him. He swears to wipe out your race and then his heart betrays him. Presumably because of you, his allegiance to Thanos became nothing but a ill-executed game."

"It only takes one person to prove their realm is worth saving," Frigga said.

"That's all nice and dandy," Natasha pulled her hand from Odin's, "but Jane Foster and my friend Clint Barton are hurt too."

Odin nodded, "Let us tend to them."

"Odin, Lady Sif and the Warriors three…Thanos and Death, they did something to them! They are not dead but cast into a deep unconsciousness," Frigga started to cry.

"Shh, my love. This Gauntlet's last act can be for good..."

"It can bring them back?" Natasha's eyes were wide.

"Yes. It's power is great. I should have destroyed it long ago, and avoided this mess…"

Natasha followed Odin and Frigga up the stairs and back to the room where everyone was waiting. Thor and Jane were caught in an embrace despite their smoky handcuffs, splattering kisses on each other, smiles broad across their faces at their unanticipated reunion. Loki stood in the corner, wringing his hands.

"Father!" Thor shouted. He released Jane at the same time Loki went and wrapped Natasha in a hug. Odin walked over to him and removed the black smoke around his hands with the Gauntlet, "You have defeated Thanos?"

"Yes, Thor," Odin answered and went next to Sif, touching her neck. She gasped back to life, a gurgled moan escaping her lips. The same happened to Fandral, Hogun, and Volstagg. Sif moaned as the pain from her crushed hand registered to her.

Loki picked up Natasha bridal style and carried to a chair, setting her down carefully, "Are you all right?" he kneeled before her and grasped her injured, shaking hands as his own hands turned blue. His skin became icy cold and soothed her swelling wrist and knuckles.

Natasha said nothing, but shook her head. Loki smoothed her hair, tucking a strand behind her ear. His green eyes probed her and found nothing but shock and confusion and panic, "Please don't be afraid. Please, Natasha…"

She lowered her eyes, staying silent.

Odin placed a hand on Clint's neck, but nothing happened, "I'm afraid Thanos' magic is not the cause of this one's injuries. He must be taken back to Earth to be cared for."

Fandral and Volstagg both rubbed their heads and stood.

"What has happened, Allfather? The last thing I remember was black smoke entering the room…" Hogun sat forward on the lounge as his vision returned to him.

"I know everything that happened. I heard all. All except for a few details. But first, we must send these mortals back to Midgard," Odin walked over to Loki and Natasha, "I am sorry, Loki, but we must give Earth back their finest warrior," he smiled fondly at Natasha.

Loki visibly shut down, "No."

"It's not a request, son," Odin warned.

Natasha made to stand up, and Loki moved out her way, "He's right. Clint needs medical attention."

Natasha went over to Clint as Thor and Jane kissed each other goodbye, "We shall meet again soon, my love," Thor murmured.

"Bye Thor," Jane gave him one last squeeze before she joined Natasha's side.

"If you would kneel, and grab ahold of your friend," Odin instructed, "Do not let go of one another until you are safe on Earth," Odin grabbed Jane's hand with his gloved one, "My sons have chosen beautiful women," Odin smiled as Jane blushed, and sent them back to Earth.

Natasha closed her eyes as they were pulled through the universe, and when she opened them next, they were back on the third floor of the red-brick building. Her vision blurred and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She heard sirens in the distance, and then everything went black.

* * *

Loki slouched as Natasha was sent away, his heart twisting. She didn't even speak to him. His throat closed up. She must be livid, being dragged and beaten and baited all because of him.

"You met this woman when you fought with the Chitauri?" Odin asked as he removed the Infinity Gauntlet and sat down in the chair Natasha had vacated.

"Long before. It was pure coincidence that she was chosen to protect Earth alongside Thor."

"I believe not in coincidence. How long have you been seeing her?" Frigga sat in the chair beside Odin.

"After the war, only days," his voice cracked, "just a few days…"

"Loki, why didn't you tell me," Thor was hurt, "Confessing your attachment to the mortal would have proven your innocence!"

"It explains why you surrendered to us so eagerly," Frigga said.

"Why, Loki?" Sif asked.

Loki stood and turned to Sif, anger coloring his voice, "Would you have believed me? Or would it have been just another trick? You are all liars. Every one of you," He spun, locking eyes Odin, "Take from my shoulders the mantel I carry. I am no longer the God of Lies, not when my _family_ weaves greater webs of deceit than I could dare to imagine! It is _you_ who has created farce after farce, told lie after lie! Did you even kill Thanos?" Odin looked down at his hands, "I thought not," Loki whispered, "Destroy the Gauntlet, father, and this time make good on your word."

"Loki—" Figga reached out to touch him.

"Enough!" he recoiled, "I am revolted by you all. You all hate me! Treat me as a traitor and a liar and a thief. I am sick of it. Natasha is the only one who has ever accepted me, truly recognized who I was and still took me in! I've never craved anyone's company as I do hers…and your deceptions, your foolish whims have ripped her from me. She ran from Asgard, from me, because of _you_."

Loki walked calmly from the room, not turning to look at Sif and the Warriors Three. He doubted he would ever be able to look at them in the eyes again.

* * *

Natasha woke up in a hospital bed, wires, cords, and IV drips needled into her arms and chest.

Nick Fury was standing at the foot of her bed.

"Well, fuck," she rasped.

"Fuck indeed, Natasha. This was a better trap than I anticipated. You look like shit."

"I feel it."

Nick went and sat down in the chair besides her bed, "I hear you have a lot to tell me."

"I can explain everything."

"No need. Clint and Jane woke up yesterday and told us everything."

"What did they tell you?"

"That you two were lured into a trap, and that this Thanos kidnapped Jane to use as leverage against Thor. Jane thinks he took you both to be witnesses, to come back to Earth and spread the word about Thanos taking control of the Tessaract, and that Barton was an accidental bystander in the situation."

Natasha sighed and winced as her head throbbed painfully, "He was. Anything else?"

"Just some minor details. She gave us the basic layout of the Asgardian Palace. We hope you have more to add to that."

"Maybe later? How is Clint?"

"He had some severe brain damage, nothing that some good old SHIELD medicine can't fix. You on the other hand, have a long recovery road ahead of you."

"Spill it."

"You have shattered knuckles on your right hand, sprained left wrist, a major concussion, you re-broke two of your ribs on the left side, a hairline fracture on your left arm and left femur, sprained ankle, multiple lesions and cuts…"

"Okay, enough."

Fury waited.

"Can I see Clint?"

"He's been taken to SHIELD HQ to finish treatment, sorry. You won't get to see him until you get discharged."

"How long is that, you think?"

"Your doctor thinks in a few days, if you promise to follow his strict at home regimen while healing," Fury smirked, knowing making her promise such a thing was futile, "Also, your alias is Elizabeth Karova, and you fell while you went spelunking with your boyfriend, Adam Lewis."

"What about Jane?"

"She's a physicist doing research. Accidents happen..."

"And Oleg?"

"Apprehended yesterday trying to get in contact with his wife."

"Perfect."

Fury scooted his chair closer to Natasha's bedside, "I don't what you did to piss this Thanos guy off, Natasha, but I'm not buying Jane's little theory. There's something she's not telling me, and I have a gut-feeling she's protecting you. You were lured for a reason, too. Clint may have been unconscious half the time you guys were gone and therefore not remember much, but don't think I'm not going to want the full story, _in writing_."

Natasha swallowed, "There's not much else to report, Nick. We mostly got pulled in my accident."

Fury stood, "Then why were _you_ the one who was lured in, Natasha? Why wasn't it Jane Foster's impersonator luring _her_ into a fake science lab?"

"You did send Marshall to go check on her. She went missing days before I did," Natasha pointed out.

Fury rolled his eye.

"Listen Nick, you don't even want to know details, okay? Trust me, the world is safe and rescued from another evil plan of annihilation. Thanos is gone, Odin took care of him. Just leave it alone and save us all the embarrassment."

"Fine. But I want to know someday."

"I can't promise you anything."

"Just promise me that you won't be messing with anymore gods and titans. No more of this multiverse bullshit."

Natasha felt her throat close up and tears brim in her swollen eyes, "I can promise that. I can't…I'm not made to fight aliens and gods," She winced when she took a ragged breath, "Thanos was the leader of the Chitauri. He set the trap for me—er, for Jane. He took me to Asgard and beat the shit out of me. He tried to use me and Jane as leverage, threating Thor so that he would spill about the Tessaract's location. I'm done. I'm not made to fight anything greater than humans. Look at me! I'm broken. I've never been like this. I can barely handle the shit on Earth," Natasha felt the tears spill.

Fury stood and patted her hand lightly, "You're not broken, Natasha. This is just the first time you've ever actually felt human. Get better. Consider yourself back on vacation."

Natasha laughed at that, a thin and raspy laugh, and watched as Fury smiled and left.


	14. Chapter 14

_Alright guys, this is the last chapter. I felt that there were a few ways to continue the story, but I decided to end it here. Thank you all SO MUCH for reading, I really appreciate it. Please let me know what you guys thought about it! Thank you. _

* * *

_Nine Days Later…_

Natasha sat before her computer on the fifth floor of SHIELD's Manhattan headquarters. She clicked save on her word document and emailed it to Fury, so he could comb over it before submitting it to her official file. She was more than thankful she had been awake when Jane Foster came to see her before she was discharged. Natasha had sworn Jane into silence about her affair with Loki. Jane had readily agreed, and Natasha thought she saw Jane smile for a split second when she mentioned the demi-god. Natasha didn't really like that this little scientist now had the ability to blackmail her, but for some reason her gut told her to trust Jane.

She folded her arms on the desk and rested her head on them. She had only mentioned Loki's name once, only in the list of people who were present in the Asgard Palace when she was taken by Thanos. She had never lied to SHIELD before, but she didn't see the point in being honest. It would only comprise her career, she could be potentially thrown out of SHIELD and have her loyalties questioned because she had been with Loki from the start…

He had made no move to contact her since the events on Asgard. Not a peep. Natasha sat up and shook her head. _I don't want him to contact me_, she reminded herself. She kept trying to convince herself that she needed to stay away from Loki. She had a speech laid out in her mind to put him down easy_. I'm only human, it's not like I could stay with you forever anyway. Even with the enhancements SHIELD blessed me with when I joined them, my life will still be shorter than yours. I'm not made to cross paths with gods…_

She grabbed her keys and checked the time on her phone. She better leave now or she would be late for her lunch date.

* * *

Natasha sat down quickly and quietly in front of Jane. It took the woman twelve seconds to even notice someone had sat at the table, "Oh! Hey, Natasha. How are you?"

"The same. You wanted to talk?"

"I'm doing alright, actually. Thank you for asking," Jane set down her menu, "Just a little bit of trauma and shock from being kidnapped by Thanos, no biggie."

"I'm sorry. I'm just a little blank."

"I understand. I suppose you would want to get to the point," she brushed a strand of her dark brown hair behind her ear, "Thor wanted me to tell you that they recovered the Tessaract and destroyed the Infinity Gauntlet."

"You've been in communication with Thor?"

"It's weird. It's not quite an Einstein-Rosen Bridge, he can't come visit Earth until the Bifrost is fixed. He's not like Loki; he doesn't have any magic. When we talk, it's kind of like a video call…Skype," she smiled.

"I'm sorry. I wish you could see him," Natasha picked up her menu to hide her face, "I know he loves you a lot. It must be hard."

"He says Heimdall is pretty close to repairing the bridge. It's worth the wait. Has Loki visited you?"

Natasha gulped, pushing down the lump in her throat, "No."

Jane ripped the menu from Natasha's hand, "Do you want him to?"

Natasha clenched her hands into fists and pushed them into her thighs, "Not really..."

"You're a liar."

"You know nothing about me Jane. Being with Loki, for however short a time frame jeopardized my entire career. My reputation at SHIELD would be in shambles if the truth ever came out."

"You've never cared about your reputation before," Jane said as a waiter approached the table.

"Leave it alone, Jane!"

The waiter eyed Natasha and saw the anger in her face, "Um…right back…" he mumbled as he turned and walked away.

"Thor says Loki is miserable. He thinks you hate him."

"I do."

"Natasha, stop it! You don't mean that."

"It doesn't matter what I mean. It's better if he thinks I do hate him. I don't know what Thor told you, Jane, but I am not up for any more encounters with gods. I barely survived the last two times, and you know third time's the charm."

Jane stood up.

"Where are you going?" Natasha asked.

"I'm not hungry anymore," she turned and stepped away, but caught herself. Jane spun on her heel and marched back up to Natasha, invading her personal space, "You can't be mad at Loki for what happened. You are equally to blame, Natasha. You could have denied him, but you didn't—"

"I was weak."

"Having an emotion doesn't make you weak, Natasha. You say you hate him, and maybe you do, but guess what? You can't truly hate someone without caring for them deeply. Loki loves Thor just as much as he loves you, and you've seen how fast his adoration can turn into abhorrence. Loki detests himself for what happened, more than you do. Give the guy a chance! You're the only reason his loyalties changed in the first place! You hate Loki? Then fine, lie to yourself for all I care."

Natasha was stunned into silence as the tiny brunette exited the restaurant in a flurry, bumping into Clint as he entered.

"Jane, hi! Where—" he looked at Natasha and she just shook her head. Clint sat down, "What was that about?"

"Nothing really. She's just mad at me for everything that happened."

Clint took his new sunglasses off, "Damn it. I wanted to see her! You fucking pissed her off!"

"That's my specialty," Natasha joked.

"So, what exactly did happen? I didn't get the best info from Fury when I woke up at HQ."

Natasha surveyed Clint's un-swollen, uncut face, "You look like HQ treated you well?"

"Yeah, apparently I needed some super-assassin serum to fix how fucked up my head was, I guess it was pretty bad."

"I'm sorry, Clint. You were just an innocent bystander in everything that happened. I'm so glad you're okay."

He smiled, "Enough sappy shit, Nat. Fill in my blanks, will ya?"

A different waiter came up to the table, "Ready to order?"

"Iced tea and I'll have the Rueben as well, lots of sauerkraut," Natasha handed the waiter her menu.

"And you, sir?"

"Um," Clint picked up the menu, eyes scanning it at super speed, "Cheeseburger, extra cheese, extra bacon, and onion rings and just some water please. Two waters. Oh, and maybe a salad, Italian dressing."

"I'll have that right out," the guy grabbed Clint's menu and ran back behind the counter to confer with the previous waiter.

There was a moment of silence as Natasha watched the two servers whisper to each other.

"Nat? Nat? Fury said you and Jane were bait, and I get Jane being bait for Thor. What I don't get is why Thanos worked so hard on getting _you_ to Asgard. I mean, he had to have broken in to SHIELD, gotten ahold of your file to see your picture and your affiliation with Oleg and Rodobuck, break Oleg out of prison so that he could lure us to the building Jane was in? It doesn't make sense. I have no idea how you got Fury to accept it."

"I didn't. Jane explained everything."

Clint rolled his eyes, "Spill, Natasha. Did you get frisky with Thor when he was here last? Were you two both for Thor?"

Natasha laughed, "He _is_ the epitome of a golden god. All that long hair and Norse muscles, mmm…"

The second server sat down their drinks in front of them.

Clint smiled, "Okay, so you didn't get in his pants. Why are you keeping me in the dark, here? You've always told me everything," he grabbed her hand from across the table, "Partners, right?"

Natasha frowned, "You're right. I'm just afraid of what you'll say."

"Since when have you needed my approval for anything?"

Her fingers intertwined with his and it took a moment for Natasha to gether her courage. She took a deep breath and let out her explanation in one hurried gasp of air, "I made a huge mistake when I went to Rodobuck's gala. I slept with someone. At that time is was just a someone, but it really wasn't. I thought he was just a normal person, stuck at the same lame party as I was."

"Thanos?" Clint's brow furrowed.

"Oh, god no!" she gulped, "It was Loki."

Clint's jaw dropped, but he closed it right away. Natasha watched, nauseated, as Clint's eyes went blank, his face impassive, and he pulled his hand from hers.

His silence was deafening. The clutter of everyone else in the restaurant rang in her ears. The clinking of forks on plates and clatter of cups on the glass tables made her head dizzy.

"Say something."

"You've been with him since then. Thanos wouldn't have taken you if you were Loki's one night stand. You're _together_?"

"Not anymore. I haven't talked to him since…well…"

"Wow. Holy fuck. Holy shit. Holy fuckshit. Natasha!"

She cringed, "I know."

He ran a hand through his hair, "I can understand the first time. You two are so similar…I knew he got to you on the airship. I could feel it when he escaped. You shouldn't have been so…relieved," he groaned, "Natasha! Fuck," he looked up at her, annoyance written on his face, "I assume Jane is all for it. She spread the lie to Fury before you even woke up."

"SHIELD can't know. My career would be done for. No more missions, no more us, hanging out, traveling to world. I'll tell you everything you want to know you just have to promise me—"

"Ugh! Spare me the details, please," Clint cut her desperate rant off, "I just want to know one thing: is it over?"

"Yes. I mean, I haven't talked to him. I have yet to end it. But I'm going to. He just hasn't been to see me, and it's not like I'm ever going to Asgard anytime soon, you know Fury has probably got some rookie following me around town. But trust me, I can't see him anymore," her voice broke and Natasha clapped her hand over her mouth as tears brimmed in her eyes.

Clint eyed her, "You can't, but you will. Look at you, you're a mess. You weren't this tore up when we quit sleeping together."

Natasha swallowed down the lump in her throat, "It's just…hard. We're so different, but we're so similar. It hasn't been easy trying to convince myself that I should be without him."

Clint rubbed his forehead, "You are in deep shit, girl."

"I know," Natasha whispered as their food was set down in front of them. She picked up a fry and held it up, scrutinizing it, "Now you see why I was worried about what you would think."

"But what can I say? You'll always do your own thing, I guess. And you can bet your sweet ass that I'm not gonna let that fucking ass-hat ruin what we got going for us. You're pretty fucking dumb; I'll give you that one," he took a bite from his burger and pointed behind her to the street outside, "But it looks like you're not the only dumb one around here."

Natasha turned and looked out through the glass store-front to see Jane Foster standing across the street, deep in discussion with a tall, lean, dark haired man.

* * *

Jane ran across the street and around the corner to where Loki was waiting, sitting on the curb. He was dressed in dark jeans, a white button down shirt and black waistcoat. He stood when he saw Jane approach, "She's all yours Loki, although I doubt she's going to want to talk to you," she said with an angry snort.

"Is she still angry with me?"

"More like with herself. I was kind of mean. It's going to be a while until her and Clint are done with lunch," Jane frowned, "I was really mean. Shoot, I should go apologize."

"No need. I'm sure she understands. Thank you, Jane Foster."

"Of course. I'm just gonna take a walk, blow off some steam," she grumbled.

"Until next time, then," he bowed his head slightly.

"Okay. Bye, Loki," she gave him an unexpected hug and then turned and walked away.

Loki fixed his mortal clothes, a smirk on his lips as he watched his brother's love stride angrily through the crowds on the sidewalk. She had a Thor-sized anger in her. He took a deep breath, and then laughed at himself. He was nervous. Couldn't say he felt like this often.

He strode around the corner, and found the eatery that Jane had indicated. He was about to cross the street when he heard his name being called behind him, "Loki! Wait!"

Jane was jogging towards him, an envelope in her hand. She stopped in front of him, trying to catch her breath, "Sorry! I forgot this," She handed him the letter, "Will you give this to Thor when you go back to Asgard?"

He tucked the envelope into his vest pocket, "Consider your favor returned."

"Ahem."

Loki turned around and Natasha was standing there, her arms crossed and an annoyed look pasted across her face.

"Natasha," Loki breathed with wide eyes. She was so beautiful in the sunlight. He gathered himself, running a hand through his long, dark hair, "Do you have a moment?"

"Jane, there's a Ruben in there with your name on it," Natasha nodded towards the restaurant, and Clint waved from inside.

"Oh. Um. Okay." Jane looked around uncomfortably, and then skipped across the street and into the restaurant.

"I suppose Barton must know about us now, considering he isn't out here trying to skewer my throat."

"Just spill it, Loki," she sighed. Her gut wrenched at the sight of him in his mortal clothes. He looked so human, his green eyes shone with vulnerability. Natasha itched to touch him, to caress his face, trace the line of his nose, and feel the softness of his lips…

"I know you're mad at me. I'm not here to beg for your forgiveness, I don't deserve it. I just wanted to tell you how incredibly sorry I am. Sorry that you were pulled into the mess my family created. I just…I just wanted to make sure you are alright," he paused as he saw hurt flash across her face. He wanted to shrink away, "I promise I won't bother you anymore."

"I told you I didn't want anyone to know about us, and Thanos' little stunt almost forced me to reveal everything to SHIELD. Fury is pissed at me and Clint is probably in shock now that I told him about our giant mistake of a relationship."

Loki stared at her. He felt the rage roll off of her and hit him in waves, "Is that all?"

"No!" she threw her arms up in exasperation, and then pushed him in the chest, "You are such a mess! You throw a tantrum, get in trouble with daddy, and when he gets pissed at you ran to the fucking Chitauri and then attacked my planet! And when that failed, Thanos came after you, and then that snowballed into a huge fucking disaster and I am sick of being involved. I am sick of witness you abuse yourself! I never asked to get thrown around by a cosmic titan and his crack-job girlfriend, who happens to be the big, bad Grim Reaper!" she huffed, "All I wanted was to have a good time with you that one night in Russia," she rubbed her temples and took a jagged breath.

"I see that your anger is evidence that you are doing just fine. If you are done, I shall make my leave," he said icily. He knew he was going to get yelled at, and hearing the truth spurt from her mouth like daggers cut him deep. Deeper than he expected. He felt a surge of shame creep up his neck as he accepted her rejection of him.

"Oh, you're not going anywhere."

"What?"

"Oh, you got another thing coming, buddy. I may be royally pissed at you, even more so that it took you nine, I repeat, _nine_ days to come check on me—"

"Time on Asgard moves slower. We were busy destroying the gauntlet."

"I don't care about that! I'm just as mad at myself as I am at you. I spent every day trying to convince myself that you're no good for me, but it's no use. And you, after being in my bed at night…I got used to it and then you just stop showing up."

Loki smiled.

"You are literally the worst person out there for me. You're just like me," she sighed, "I love you too much. I'm the Black Widow, I'm supposed to cold and ruthless and dangerous but a skinny, egotistical god with daddy issues makes me simper like a little girl!"

"You may be a master assassin, Natasha, but you are also human. A beautiful human trying to wipe the red from her ledger, to redeem her mortal soul," he sighed, "Let's try again, please. This time everyone will know. No secrets from your friends or my family. I'm begging you. I fear I cannot live without you. Your absence from my life…I cannot express to you how lost I feel, how much my heart aches when I think of your anger at me for everything I've done."

"Loki, I don't know… I'm not up for battling gods and aliens. I'm just a spy. A human one, you just said so," she felt her practiced argument die on her lips, "The backlash from telling everyone about us…it's going to make Fury keel over!"

Loki searched her eyes, "Natasha Romanoff, my dear, my precious mortal, since when do you back down from a challenge?"

Natasha blew her bangs out of her face. She couldn't help but smile as Loki's eyes crinkled, "You drive me crazy."

"Yes, that's what I hear love does to a person," he wrapped his arms around her and she didn't protest. Instead, she draped her arms around his long frame and leaned into him, his chin resting on her head.

"You love me?"

Loki pulled back and cupped her cheek, "Have I not expressed to you how I feel?"

"Generally, yes. But you've never said it to me."

"I love you, Natasha Romanoff. Please, do not be separated from me any longer. I couldn't bear it. I would have been here sooner, if not for my daft brother and father pounding down my door begging for forgiveness."

She stayed silent as Loki tucked a red curl behind her ear, "You're wrong. You _are_ destined to live amongst gods and titans. If you weren't, we would never have crossed paths in Russia. Let's try again," he added desperately.

He kissed her then, his tongue skimming her lips, pleading to enter, and when she complied Loki took it as an assent, as her agreement to start anew.

There was a clamber across the street as Jane rushed outside of the restaurant to clap like a lunatic.


End file.
